An international law enforcement operation has dismantled a cybercrime ring responsible for sending more than one billion scam messages to mobile phones and inboxes worldwide. On October 14, 2026, Microsoft collaborated with global police agencies, healthcare defense groups, and cybersecurity partners to seize the servers, web domains, and digital toolkits fueling the fraudulent campaigns. The coordinated operation severed a critical pipeline that criminals relied on to steal passwords, financial credentials, and personal information across the globe.

Authorized by an emergency seizure warrant from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the coordinated disruption dismantled “YAM Store” (tracked as Storm-3119), an underground marketplace selling stolen corporate cloud environments. The operation also took down three affiliated turnkey phishing kits—the Iron Man System (tracked as Storm-2990), CoGUI, and Haozi—which contained over 2,335 malicious templates. In total, investigators deactivated more than 20,000 illicit cloud accounts, blocked 100,000 deceptive web domains, and disrupted attack infrastructure that had targeted over 75,000 organizations across more than 150 countries.

How the Phishing Syndicate Operated

According to technical analysis from Microsoft Threat Intelligence, the syndicate operated as a full-service underground business, providing buyers with everything required to execute large-scale phishing attacks. The criminal supply chain operated across five primary phases:

1. Account Acquisition: Operators acquired abandoned internet domains from legitimate businesses, re-registered them to pass security checks, and fraudulently established genuine Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace accounts.
2. Turnkey Toolkits: The syndicate bundled these verified enterprise accounts with automated phishing platforms like the Iron Man System, which provided prebuilt templates mimicking trusted banks, package carriers, and government agencies.
3. Mass Distribution: Buyers sent waves of text messages and emails from authentic cloud environments, allowing their lures to bypass standard spam filters.
4. Credential Harvesting: When recipients clicked lure links, malicious proxy servers captured entered login passwords, authentication codes, and payment details in real time.
5. Asset Laundering: Stolen funds and marketplace subscription fees were moved through cryptocurrency exchanges, where researchers at TRM Labs helped track and freeze illicit digital assets.

Why Recognizing These Phishing Lures Still Matters

The seizure of YAM Store dealt a major blow to a global cybercrime network, immediately taking hundreds of thousands of active fraud domains offline. However, the commercial model behind these attacks remains intact across the broader threat landscape. As automated kits lower the technical barrier to entry, rogue actors can easily purchase replacement infrastructure to launch new campaigns. Recognizing the difference between how these scammers act and how a legitimate organization behaves can help you spot future variations of these phishing schemes. 

Attack Vector	Common Pretext	Scammer Red Flag	Legitimate Entity Behavior
SMS (Smishing)	Unpaid parking tickets, traffic violations, or municipal road tolls.	Demands immediate payment via an included shortened link to avoid license suspension.	Municipal agencies send citations via postal mail and direct payments to an official government portal.
SMS or Email	Package delivery exceptions (e.g., postal services, FedEx, or UPS).	Claims a package cannot be delivered until an administrative fee (typically $1.50–$5.00) is paid online.	Parcel carriers provide tracking numbers verifiable directly on their official mobile app or primary website.
Email	Corporate account or cloud storage password expiration warnings.	Demands you verify login credentials within 24 hours through an external sign-in form.	Legitimate enterprise platforms manage credential resets within secure internal system settings, not via external forms.
Payment Screen	Fake banking verification or credit card confirmation forms.	Requests two-factor authentication codes, debit PINs, or full billing details on an unfamiliar domain.	Financial institutions never prompt for PINs or temporary codes on third-party payment redirect pages.

How to Protect Yourself from Emerging Phishing Schemes

Because accessible phishing kits make it easy for scammers to replace dismantled networks, staying safe requires consistent verification habits and practical safeguards:

• Navigate independently to official service portals. Never click links inside unexpected text messages or emails regarding parking fines, road tolls, or shipping fees. Open your browser and navigate directly to the verified agency or company website.
• Check the full website address in your browser. Scammers frequently register web addresses that look nearly identical to authentic brands by changing a single letter. Confirm that the URL in your browser bar matches the organization’s official domain before typing any information.
• Switch to an authenticator app for account logins. Instead of receiving login verification codes through SMS text messages, consider using an authenticator app on your phone. Phishing pages can capture texted six-digit codes in real time, but app-based verification makes it much harder for scammers to intercept your account access.
• Verify delivery notifications using your original tracking number. If you receive a message claiming a package is delayed, locate your original purchase confirmation and enter the tracking number directly into the delivery carrier’s official website.
• Treat tiny fee requests as major red flags. Scammers deliberately ask for small sums, such as a $2.50 processing fee, to lower your guard while capturing your full credit card number, expiration date, and security code.

What to Do If You Have Already Been Targeted

If you interacted with a suspicious link, submitted account credentials, or paid a fraudulent fee, take these immediate recovery steps:

1. Sever contact immediately. Do not click further links, reply to the message, or send additional payments.
2. Contact your financial institutions. Call your bank or card issuer immediately to report unauthorized transactions, cancel compromised cards, and dispute fraudulent charges.
3. Update passwords across shared accounts. Reset credentials on any account that shared the exposed password, and select the option to sign out of all active devices in your account settings.
4. Place a credit freeze with the major bureaus. Block scammers from opening fraudulent lines of credit in your name by freezing your credit files with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
5. Submit an official identity theft report. If personal identifiers such as your Social Security number or driver’s license details were submitted, file a recovery plan through the federal identity theft reporting portal.
6. Preserve evidence. Save screenshots of the scam message, sender phone number or email, website URLs, and payment records before deleting anything.

How to Report Phishing Scams

Reporting cybercrime infrastructure helps industry defenders and law enforcement track repeat patterns and build cross-border cases:

• Federal Trade Commission: Submit consumer fraud and deceptive business reports through the Federal Trade Commission complaint assistant.
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: File reports involving significant monetary theft, wire fraud, or corporate account compromise with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
• Federal Communications Commission: Report spam text messages, smishing campaigns, and spoofed phone numbers through the Federal Communications Commission consumer center.
• Local Law Enforcement: File a police report with your local department if you experienced direct financial loss, as financial institutions frequently require a police report number during fraud investigations.
• Mobile Carriers: Forward deceptive text messages directly to the cellular carrier spam reporting shortcode at 7726 (SPAM).

Major takedowns disrupt criminal supply chains and hold malicious operators accountable, but the tools behind these schemes continue to evolve. Verifying unexpected payment requests directly with official organizations, monitoring your financial statements regularly, and securing your accounts with strong authentication remain dependable defenses against online fraud.

The post Global Takedown Hits Network Behind 1 Billion Scam Messages appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Financial scammers are increasingly targeting older Americans, using deceptive online platforms, high-pressure phone pitches, and complex impersonation schemes to drain hard-earned savings. While older consumers are more likely to report suspicious solicitations, those who get caught in these elaborate operations face catastrophic financial consequences. As digital payment systems and online networks evolve, organized criminal rings are extracting record amounts of capital from people preparing for or living in retirement.

On October 19, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) submitted its annual report to Congress, Protecting Older Consumers 2025–2026, detailing the rapid escalation of this trend. The report revealed that fraud losses reported by adults aged 60 and older reached approximately $3 billion in 2025, a fivefold increase from the $600 million reported in 2020. Since most victims do not report fraud to government agencies, the FTC estimates actual losses for older adults in 2025 ranged between $13.3 billion and $119.5 billion.

How Fraud Schemes Target Older Adults

The sharp rise in elder fraud is largely propelled by a surge in massive, individual six-figure losses. Combined losses from older adults who lost $100,000 or more increased nearly sevenfold between 2020 and 2025. While these severe losses represented only 6% of loss reports filed by older adults in 2025, they accounted for 70% of the entire $3 billion total.

Analysis of consumer reports reveals that these catastrophic losses were concentrated in these specific scam categories:

Investment Scams Promoted on Social Media

Investment fraud was the costliest category for older consumers in 2025, with $1.06 billion in reported losses, a 42% jump. Scammers use social media to pitch fake crypto, stock, or automated trading platforms, directing targets to fraudulent sites displaying falsified account balances. When victims request withdrawals, operators demand bogus “taxes” or “administrative fees” before freezing accounts.

Government and Business Impersonation Schemes

Government and business impersonators drew $870 million in losses ($448M government, $422M business). Government imposters claim bank accounts are tied to crime, while business imposters pose as bank or tech support fraud departments. Both fabricate urgent crises, coercing victims to transfer money to “protective custodial accounts” or government “lockboxes.”

Romance Scams That Exploit Trust

Romance scams caused $384 million in reported losses among older adults in 2025 (up 17%). Fraudsters build trust over weeks or months via social media or dating apps before fabricating urgent emergencies—like medical bills or foreign travel issues—to request repeated money transfers.

Prize, Sweepstakes, and Lottery Schemes

Prize and lottery scams cost older adults $143 million in 2025. Scammers contact targets via phone, mail, or online, claiming major prize wins from known brands but requiring upfront processing fees or taxes to release funds.

Tech Support Deception

Older consumers were over four times (324%) more likely than younger adults to report losing money to tech support scams. Alarming browser pop-ups prompt calls to fake technicians who gain remote access to computers and charge high fees for unneeded services.

Irreversible Payment Methods That Fuel the Losses

While credit cards were the payment method most frequently used by older adults (accounting for 28% of loss reports), payment channels that cannot be easily recalled accounted for the largest aggregate dollar amounts. Bank transfers and payments accounted for over $1.03 billion in reported losses, while cryptocurrency transfers totaled $603 million. In impersonation and sweepstakes scams, criminals also routinely demand payment through retail gift cards, direct bank wires, physical cash sent via couriers, or cash deposits into automated Bitcoin kiosks.

The table below details the top six fraud categories ranked by total reported dollars lost by older adults (ages 60 and older) in 2025, alongside the year-over-year percentage change compared to calendar year 2024.

Fraud Category	2025 Reported Losses (Age 60+)	Change from 2024	2025 Loss Reports	Common Tactic
Investment Scams	$1.059 billion	+42%	10,578	Counterfeit crypto dashboards and fake trading platforms.
Government Imposters	$448 million	+20%	12,183	Threats of arrest or asset seizure to force money transfers.
Business Imposters	$422 million	+12%	24,820	Fake bank fraud alerts directing funds to “safe” accounts.
Romance Scams	$384 million	+17%	6,832	Fabricated emergencies or joint investment pitches from online partners.
Prizes, Sweepstakes & Lotteries	$143 million	-1%	5,280	Upfront fee demands to release fake winnings.
Tech Support Scams	$126 million	-21%	5,334	Browser pop-ups prompting calls to bogus technicians.

Warning Signs of Elder Scams

Federal agencies participating in the nationwide Never Ever campaign, led by the FTC, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), have identified clear warning signs that expose fraudulent communications.

• Demands to transfer money to “protect” it: Legitimate banks and government agencies never tell you to move your funds into a separate account, a crypto kiosk, or a temporary vault to keep it safe from fraud.
• Insistence on specific, unusual payment methods: Demands to pay using retail gift cards, cryptocurrency, money-transfer apps, bank wires, or envelopes of cash collected by a courier are red flags that you may be dealing with a scam.
• Demands for complete secrecy: Fraudsters often order you to stay on the line, instruct you not to speak with family members, and supply fake cover stories to recite to bank tellers during cash withdrawals.

How to Protect Yourself and Older Relatives

You do not need to be a technical expert to guard against these schemes. Following five straightforward habits can help protect household savings from scams:

1. Hang up and call a number you know is real. If you get a call or text claiming your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number is in danger, hang up immediately. Do not press any buttons or call back the number that contacted you. Pick up your physical debit card, credit card, or an official paper statement, and call the customer service phone number printed on the back.
2. Talk to a family member or friend before you pay. Scammers rely on panic to make you act before you have time to think. Make it a personal rule to discuss any unexpected financial request, sudden investment tip, or prize notification with a trusted relative, neighbor, or bank employee before you authorize any transfer.
3. Refuse all requests to buy gift cards or use Bitcoin machines. If anyone on the phone tells you to go to a retail store to buy gift cards, or asks you to deposit cash into a Bitcoin ATM to clear a bill or protect your savings, stop. Legitimate businesses and government offices do not accept payment through these methods.
4. Restart your computer if an alarming warning screen appears. If your screen suddenly freezes with loud alarms or an urgent warning saying you are hacked, never call the phone number shown. Press and hold your computer’s power button until everything turns completely off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. When you reopen your internet browser, click “Cancel” or the “X” if it asks to restore your previous pages.
5. Let unfamiliar phone calls go to voicemail. Scammers can alter the name and phone number that appear on your phone screen to look like a local courthouse, police department, or bank. Let calls from numbers you do not recognize go to voicemail. If a matter is truly legitimate, the organization will leave a message and send official mail.

What to Do If You Have Already Been Targeted

When money has been sent or sensitive personal details have been disclosed, acting promptly improves the chances of limiting damage and recovering funds:

• Cut off all communication: Discontinue every phone call, text exchange, and email thread with the scammer. Never send additional money to “release” previously transferred funds or pay supposed “withdrawal fees.”
• Contact your financial institutions immediately: Call your bank, credit union, or credit card company. Request an immediate recall on any recent wire transfers, flag fraudulent debit or credit charges, and ask the bank to secure your accounts.
• Request the Financial Fraud Kill Chain for wire transfers: If you sent a significant bank wire within the last 72 hours, submit a report immediately to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. The FBI’s Recovery Asset Team works directly with domestic and international financial networks to freeze fraudulent wire transfers before they settle. In 2025, this process helped freeze $679 million in stolen funds.
• Contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline: Call the DOJ’s free hotline at 1-833-372-8311. Staffed by the Office for Victims of Crime, case managers provide direct support, help you organize reporting documentation, and connect you with local and federal resources.
• Place a security freeze on your credit reports: Restrict identity thieves from opening new lines of credit by freezing your credit files directly with the three national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
• Report identity exposure: If you provided your Social Security number, banking details, or driver’s license number, go to IdentityTheft.gov to receive a customized recovery plan.
• Preserve all records: Save written notes, phone numbers, text messages, emails, bank transfer confirmations, and cryptocurrency wallet transaction receipts to share with investigators.

How to Report Elder Fraud

Reporting scam attempts provides law enforcement agencies with the evidence required to identify criminal syndicates, freeze illicit assets, and bring enforcement actions. In fiscal year 2026, FTC enforcement actions resulted in more than $513 million returned to consumers of all ages.

Submit incident details through these official reporting portals:

• Federal Trade Commission: Submit reports through the FTC Fraud Reporting Portal, which feeds directly into the secure Consumer Sentinel Network used by thousands of law enforcement agencies nationwide.
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: Report internet fraud, cryptocurrency theft, and wire transfers to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
• Federal Communications Commission: Report phone number spoofing and unlawful automated calls to the FCC Consumer Complaint Center.
• Local Police or Sheriff’s Department: File a formal police report with your local law enforcement agency. Banks frequently require a copy of an official police report to process fraud disputes.
• Specific Government Agencies: Report calls from Social Security imposters directly to the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, and report tax-related scams to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

Federal enforcement actions continue to target the infrastructure that enables these operations. In fiscal year 2026, the FTC secured a settlement requiring payment processor Nuvei to turn over $4.85 million for processing transactions for an overseas tech-support scheme that impersonated major US brands. The FTC also took action against operations like American Tax Service, requiring defendants to surrender nearly $10 million in cash and assets for running deceptive tax-debt telemarketing targeting older adults. Staying informed, hanging up on unsolicited calls, and checking in with loved ones remain the most dependable defenses against these escalating threats.

The post Elder Fraud Losses Surge to $3B: FTC Report and Prevention Tips appeared first on McAfee Blog.

The California Department of Education (CDE) announced on October 16, 2026, that unauthorized actors accessed an Educational Testing Service (ETS) server, compromising the educational and demographic records of millions of California public school students. The breach occurred between May 22, 2026, and September 18, 2026, exposing student names, dates of birth, home addresses, disability records, and state assessment scores across three academic years. 

While state officials confirmed that Social Security numbers and financial account details were not accessed, exposed personal files elevate the risk of secondary phishing attacks, fraudulent account creation, and child identity theft.

How the ETS Data Breach Happened

Unauthorized actors used compromised login credentials to gain illicit access to a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) server operated by ETS. Educational Testing Service administers statewide standardized testing assessments for California public schools, including the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC).

ETS identified the unauthorized file access on September 25, 2026, and notified school districts on October 2, 2026, before coordinating a public disclosure with the state. An internal investigation confirmed that intruders copied student files intermittently across a four-month window.

What Student Data Was Exposed in the Breach

The scope of exposed data varies by student, but involves records dating back through the 2023–2024 academic year:

Data Category	Exposed in ETS Breach?	Details
Basic Identifiers	Yes	Full student name, date of birth, home address, and school attended
Academic Identifiers	Yes	Statewide Student Identifier (SSID) and standardized test scores
Demographic & Special Records	Yes	Demographic profiles, disability records, and program eligibility files
Social Security Numbers	No	Confirmed not stored on the compromised SFTP server
Financial & Payment Data	No	No credit cards, banking data, or parent billing files were involved
Parent/Guardian Personal Data	No	Contact information and parent personal records were excluded

Because Social Security numbers were not taken, scammers cannot automatically establish traditional lines of credit overnight. However, bad actors frequently bundle basic demographic data with records from other breaches to assemble synthetic profiles or craft convincing spear-phishing schemes aimed at families.

Warning Signs of Child Identity Theft After the Breach

Data breach exposures involving children often manifest months after the initial intrusion. Watch for these indicators that an affected student’s personal information may be circulating among scammers:

• Unsolicited calls, texts, or emails claiming to be from ETS or school officials: Legitimate state agencies will not call or text asking for your child’s Social Security number or payment to receive breach protections.
• Credit offers and pre-approved cards addressed to a minor: Children rarely have credit files, so pre-approved cards, loan offers, or rewards enrollments indicate an active file exists.
• Government and agency notices in your child’s name: Warning letters from the IRS about unpaid taxes, notifications regarding state benefits, or jury duty summonses for a minor signal identity misuse.
• Calls from collection agencies: Debt collectors demanding payment for opened utility accounts, cell phone contracts, or medical services in a student’s name point to fraudulent accounts.
• School enrollment or testing discrepancies: Notifications from educational institutions regarding unauthorized transfers, unknown state test submissions, or modified student records.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Child

Take the following concrete defensive steps to protect your child’s personal data from being weaponized:

1. Activate the state-provided identity protection coverage. ETS is offering two years of complimentary identity monitoring through Experian IdentityWorks. Parents can enroll eligible minor children at Experian IdentityWorks for Minors using the activation code provided in the official CDE breach notification.
2. Place a credit freeze on your child’s credit file. Federal law allows parents and legal guardians to freeze a credit file for children under 16 at no cost to prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened. Contact each of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) directly to request a minor freeze.
3. Apply a verification test to all breach-related outreach. Scammers exploit news of large breaches to pose as test administrators, district staff, or identity support agents. If someone contacts you seeking account verification, hang up and reach out through the official California Department of Education incident portal.
4. Monitor your household’s digital accounts. Update passwords across school portal logins, parent-teacher applications, and family email accounts, pairing each with multi-factor authentication (MFA) using an authenticator app.
5. Check for existing credit files for older dependents. Students who are 18 or older can review their own credit reports for free every week at AnnualCreditReport.com to ensure no accounts have been opened under their names.

What to Do If Your Child’s Information Was Misused

If an unauthorized party uses your child’s personal details to open accounts, secure credit, or claim benefits, take immediate action to limit liability:

• Halt contact and refuse demands for payment: Never send funds or negotiate with debt collectors attempting to collect on fraudulent debts opened in a child’s name.
• Contact the fraud departments of involved companies: Reach out to the bank, merchant, or utility provider that issued the fraudulent account, notify them of child identity fraud, and demand written confirmation that the account is closed and cleared.
• File an identity theft report with the FTC: Submit an official declaration at IdentityTheft.gov. This creates an official Identity Theft Report required by banks and credit bureaus to remove fraudulent records.
• Demand immediate credit file purges: Send copies of your FTC Identity Theft Report and proof of minor custody to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, requesting the immediate deletion of all fraudulent tradelines and inquiries.
• File a police report: Contact your local police department if financial fraud, impersonation, or extortion occurred, and retain the incident report number for your financial documentation.
• Maintain complete paper trails: Log all correspondence, including dates, representative names, case numbers, and copies of collection letters.

How to Report the Threat and Stay Protected

Reporting incidents promptly assists regulatory authorities and cybersecurity investigators in tracking down threat actors and stopping systemic abuse. Use these verified channels:

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Report identity theft and recover an identity through IdentityTheft.gov, or submit general fraud reports to the FTC Fraud Reporting Portal.
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): File cybercrime and data breach reports via the IC3 Portal.
• California Department of Justice: Access identity theft resources and state breach updates via the Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit.
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC): Report suspicious caller ID spoofing or phishing robocalls on the FCC Complaints Center.
• California Department of Education Support Line: Families with questions regarding the ETS breach notification can contact the CDE assistance line at 833-931-8488.

Safeguarding student records requires active vigilance. By placing credit freezes, enrolling in complimentary monitoring, and questioning unexpected communications, families can minimize the risks associated with school vendor data security incidents.

The post ETS California Student Data Breach: What Happened and How to Protect Your Child appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Authored By: Fernando Ruiz

McAfee’s Mobile Research Team identified more than 1,900 unique applications associated with the campaign across over 500,000 devices in more than 190 countries. Based on publication patterns, we estimate that the operators were releasing approximately 20 to 25 new applications per day, each leveraging different themes, brands, and impersonation targets. The highest concentrations of affected devices were observed in India, Russia, and the United States.

Most of these apps were published on the official android platform impersonating well-known products such as CapCut, Roblox, Zelle, PayPal, Netflix, Xbox Game Pass, Siri, iMessage, etc. under different developer accounts, they shared a common codebase, repeated the same deceptive behaviors, and contacted the same remote server, which told each app where to send its users. That destination was an advertising funnel and in our testing the ads it served led to third-party subscription-fraud pages billing as much as $49.99 per month

McAfee identified the malicious apps, conducted technical analysis, and reported its findings to Google through responsible disclosure channels. Following McAfee’s report, Google removed all of the identified apps from Google Play. McAfee is a member of the App Defense Alliance, which supports collaboration across the mobile ecosystem to improve user protection. McAfee Mobile Security detects these apps as a Medium-Risk Threat. For more information, and to get fully protected, visit McAfee Mobile Security.

The Global Impact

This fake app campaign reached consumers around the world, with McAfee researchers identifying more than 1,900 unique apps across over 500,000 devices in more than 190 countries.

McAfee’s detection data shows how the campaign appeared across key markets. In the United Kingdom, McAfee recorded 11,862 detections, in Germany (5,016 detections), France (4,288), Australia (1,434), and Japan (944).

Market	Devices protected	Global rank	Share of global	Fake apps seen	Top 3 lures
United Kingdom	10,582	#8 of 207	1.98%	970	Streaming/TV/sports (17%), video editors (13%), games (11%)
Germany	4,465	#16	0.84%	444	Health apps (22%), games (16%), AI tools (13%)
France	3,882	#19	0.72%	450	Streaming/TV/sports (20%), AI tools (17%), adult content (10%)
Australia	1,293	#42	0.24%	306	Video editors (16%), AI tools (16%), adult content (15%)
Japan	843	#55	0.16%	229	Health apps (29%), streaming/TV (18%), AI tools (11%)

These figures represent fake app encounters identified by McAfee, not total infections. It reflects where McAfee detected these apps rather than the overall infection rate in each country.

Different Regions, Different Fake App Lures

While the campaign used the same underlying tactics worldwide, the types of apps detected varied by region. Globally, fake video and photo editors accounted for 19% of detections, followed by streaming, TV, and sports apps (13%).

A closer look at individual markets reveals some notable differences:

• United Kingdom: Streaming, TV, and sports apps led at 17% of detections, followed by video and photo editors at 13%.
• Germany: Fake health apps accounted for 22% of detections, followed by games and game modifications at 16%.
• France: Streaming, TV, and sports apps were the most common at 20%, followed by AI tool clones at 17%.
• Australia: Video and photo editors and AI tool clones were nearly tied, each accounting for approximately 16% of detections.
• Japan: Fake health apps stood out at 29% of detections, followed by streaming, TV, and sports apps at 18%.

These findings highlight how the same fake app campaign can appear in very different forms depending on what consumers are looking for. Whether it’s a health app, an AI assistant, a streaming service, or a popular game, familiar names and recognizable branding can make a fraudulent app appear trustworthy.

The risk isn’t limited to one country or one type of app. It’s the same underlying deception: an app that promises a familiar service but delivers something entirely different.

The Financial Impersonators

We identified fake apps impersonating Zelle, PayPal, Apple Pay, Mir Pay, Binance and several banks. One fake PayPal app had been downloaded 10,000+ times.

Zelle has no standalone consumer app: it lives inside your bank’s app so anyone searching Google Play for “Zelle” is already confused. And Apple Pay has no Android app at all, so users searching for it cannot find a legitimate result. Both are searches with no correct answer, which makes them ideal traffic to intercept.

Figure 1: Firsts result on Google Play of ‘Zelle’ search are Fake Applications

Combine that with an in-app browser whose address bar is hidden and whose destination the operator controls remotely, and the risk profile of a fake banking app is simply not the same as a fake video editor even when both currently do nothing worse than show ads.

From the user’s perspective the current risk is straightforward: they search Google Play for “Zelle”, the first results include fake apps, and installing it delivers not a banking guide but a stream of full-screen ads. Tapping one leads to a page requesting their credit card details for a “free” trial that then bills them monthly.

What Users Actually Got: Gambling Inventory, on an “Everyone” Rating

In multiple cases we observed a gambling-style quiz funnel: “Win Mega Jackpot,” “50,000 COINS DAILY,” “PLAY FOOTBALL QUIZ,” “Play Now.”

Now consider who was looking at those store pages: Among the apps still available for measurement at the time of our analysis, the ones impersonating children’s and teenagers’ brands had been downloaded more than 86,000 times:

Downloads	App title	Package Name
50,000+	Roblox	com.sitaram.robloxgame1
10,000+	Roblox	com.sitaram.robloxgame3
10,000+	Netflix Game Controller	netflixgamecontroller.uzair1
10,000+	Netflix Game Controller: Play	netflixgamecontroller.uzair2
5,000+	Xbox Game Pass: Play Games	xboxgame.abdul2
1,000+	Fall Guys for Mobile	com.react.fallguysgame1

Across the full campaign we identified 37 apps impersonating games and services aimed at young players: Roblox, Minecraft, Fall Guys, Brawl Stars, Clash of Clans, Deltarune, Xbox Game Pass even GTA VI.

Figure 2: Fake Xbox App with over 5,000 installations

Every one of these listings carried an “Everyone” content rating.

So, the chain runs: a child searches Google Play for Roblox, installs an app called Roblox with the Roblox logo, rated suitable for everyone — and is funneled into gambling-style prize inventory that the operator can redirect at will. No exploit, no permission prompt, no warning.

The Searches With No Correct Answer

One application captured this strategy particularly well: Published as “AppStore: App Downloader,” the application used a legacy Appstore icon and presented itself as an Android version of Apple’s official software marketplace.

Figure 3: Fake AppStore on Google Play with over 1K Downloads

A legitimate Apple App Store cannot exist on Android because Apple operates the App Store exclusively for its own platforms, and the iOS applications it distributes are not compatible with Android’s operating system or application format. Any Android app claiming to be Apple’s App Store is therefore impersonating the service rather than providing the official marketplace.

“AppStore: App Downloader” was not an alternative marketplace but an advertising funnel disguised with Apple’s branding, rated for all users, and distributed through Google Play.

There is no App Store, Siri, iMessage, FaceTime nor Apple Pay app for Android. Zelle has no standalone consumer app, it lives inside your bank app. Every one of those is a search people perform on Google Play every day, and every one of them is a search with no legitimate result.

Figure 4: Multiple fake apps that does not officially exist on Android

The user’s own intent is the vulnerability: they want the thing, they cannot have the thing, and something appears that looks exactly like the thing. No security control mediates that moment. It is not a technical failure at all: it is a person trusting a logo, which is precisely what logos are for.

How Are the Ads Displayed?

Each app is a shell. It wears the branding of something people search for — CapCut, Roblox, Zelle, PayPal, Netflix, Huawei Health, Xbox Game Pass, Siri, iMessage — and behind that branding it contains no real product. What it contains is a redirector.

On launch, the app contacts a server controlled by the operator:

`hxxps://rewadevelopments[.]online/data/.json`

The server replies with a small configuration block. One field in that block, `qureka_url`, holds a web address. The app takes that address and opens it in an in-app browser window, a Chrome Custom Tab, configured with the URL bar hidden.

In every case we observed, the address served was a gambling-style quiz site promising daily coin rewards. Users did not get a CapCut tutorial or a Zelle guide. They got an endless funnel of ad and quiz pages, monetized by the operator.

The mechanism matters more than today’s payload. Because the destination is fetched from the server at every launch, the operator can change where these apps send users at any moment, for any single app, without shipping an update and without passing store review again. An app wearing a bank’s logo, opening a browser window with the address bar hidden, pointed wherever the operator chooses, is a capability that can be used for phishing and credential exfiltration.

Figure 5: Ads severed from the website loaded in full screen that funnel to subscription fraud.

The full-screen ads users encounter are not served by the app. Its own ad slots are configured with Google’s public test IDs, which generate no revenue — so the app earns nothing from advertising itself. The ads come from the website the app opens: the destination supplied in the remote JSON configuration. That page’s ad inventory is filled with deceptive offers which, when tapped, lead to credit-card forms tied to subscription-fraud billing.

What Makes These Apps Interesting Is What They Do Not Do

There is no exploit, privilege escalation, rooting attempt, dynamic code loading, obfuscation, encrypted payload, or dropper chain. The applications request no dangerous Android permissions. From the perspective of conventional static analysis, their code presents few of the indicators typically associated with Android malware.

This campaign avoids many of those controls because its primary deception occurs outside the application code. Rather than exploiting a software vulnerability, the operators exploit the user’s trust in an official app store and in recognizable brands.

The post-installation behavior can remain technically simple, as it does here with advertising redirection, because persuading the user to install the application is the most critical stage of the operation.

The affected users did not need to follow a malicious link or sideload an APK from an unofficial forum. They searched an official application store for a product they recognized, and the search results presented an application with the expected name, logo, and visual identity.

How to protect yourself

• Install financial apps only from your bank’s own website or a verified link. If you are searching for an app store for a payment brand, you are in the exact position this campaign targets.
• Be suspicious of “guide,” “tutorial,” “helper” and “tips” apps for products you already use.
• Legitimate services do not need a third party to explain them.
• Check the developer’s name, not just the app name and icon. A real brand’s app is published by that brand.
• If a product doesn’t exist on your platform, no app can provide it. There is no Apple Pay, Siri, or iMessage for Android.
• Ignore install counts as a trust signal. Several of these apps had tens of thousands of downloads.
• Run mobile security software. McAfee Mobile Security detects this family.

Conclusion

Mobile security has genuinely improved. Permissions are narrower, sandboxing is stronger, exploit mitigations are routine, store review catches more than it used to, and AI now finds obfuscated payloads at a scale no human team could match. Every one of those defenses works but none of them was tested here.

Attackers move to one part of the system that cannot be patched: the judgment of the person holding the phone. And they apply pressure exactly where that judgment is weakest — a familiar logo, an official store, a name that matches what you searched for.

These apps are adware or a medium risk threat rather than malware because the fraudulent content is not theirs. The app opens a web page chosen by its operator; that page’s advertising slots are filled by open programmatic ad exchanges, which sell to whichever advertiser bids. The subscription-fraud pages belong to those advertisers.

As threat actors continue to exploit trust rather than software vulnerabilities, McAfee remains committed to protecting users, raising awareness, and collaborating across the industry to ensure that seemingly harmless applications do not evolve into large-scale fraud operations.

 IOC

Prevalent Apps

App title	Package	Play downloads	SHA-256 (primary build)
Roblox	com.sitaram.robloxgame1	50,000+	4f7b36963518e701276c77c1cad88d16fe64e8025c5223141c9af0eeb954ea63
Roblox	com.sitaram.robloxgame3	10,000+	c56d49a2f323ca0333778964fd58a7399aa60c8136a6a178adc1f222747b353f
Netflix Game Controller	netflixgamecontroller.uzair1	10,000+	2bdbd5c78a9d08b69983b965ae466210329b09eb26e5b491acdae9b822c729ab
Netflix Game Controller: Play	netflixgamecontroller.uzair2	10,000+	8cf714e0dab975c12cb5ac16837d7d2748a7f1672a3210a0e8e247dc405f8c68
Xbox Game Pass: Play Games	xboxgame.abdul2	5,000+	37539a20f07bd29e9285e7266ab29015c5467241bea43eee48f77769c42bbc7e
Fall Guys for Mobile	com.react.fallguysgame1	1,000+	d9ae6d844bf9269bee7d1f67f2f3d9e1d932974733068639c7204c2c92c391b1
Capkut – Video Editor	com.flintos.capcut2	50,000+	ba7a00fd597c04b7aa2efb59da853b1fcf34ba3bb63e7fbef2b9d9ef1a497641
Capcut Video Editor 2026	com.capcut.capvideoeditorapp58	10,000+	9b9e08b176d12c5e388b33c3e1fcdf2ba52b94cc6b310b56e3596eb783c26569
Siri Voice Assistant Android	com.shahdi.siri2	10,000+	b015de54db5073758909e5f3eaa90e73d7ff6f923195569d22395808b99a5557
Siri for Android	com.shahdi.siri1	5,000+	9a0881a67a7c35592216e0896e184d1ed960ef5c2280a6dafcfcbc0dcb29c099
Siri for Android	com.keli.siriapp1	1,000+	30a9f7461a0c11061b9349004f3dcd39ec763ec8bf1520ce655653fca67e183e
iMessage for Android	com.keli.imessage3	100+	ac46add9b7bb09779ab0a51924601e649431153c40d95c2ecc995e614ff2b89d
iMessage Android App	com.shahdi.imessage2	100+	83a95ceb22e24d5486f997d3ab7a8fa336cbf52c6489bfd20b285ccb16237f8e
Apple Health for Android	com.godwin.applehealth2	1+	5d2c823acf6e719553688626a113e79842d186de7d3203c011b032eb2f87adca
Huawei Health	huwaei.health1	10,000+	695eca22217b60b6218fbef51bcf660e569f7ce36c1d73a4646494d5489ae352
Casino Plus PH	casinoplus.pindo3	10,000+	3a50fa0ee7be36cbb1052254fbfdc0602abd7f52d69d7dc32d5c9ea6148ed16c
Aviator Game	com.aviator.aviatorgamejamantech2	1,000+	18af2b9a1e9db5f85c789252dbb0048a244e0a181f88b31c0969e6789b9657b8
GTA VI	com.react.gta6game1	N/A	78a098470a7926dc0bd36c625032fd421587aea88200fdbb877dbc655110c5f5

 

Financial Impersonators

App title	Package	Play downloads	SHA-256 (primary build)
PayPal – Fast Payments	com.paypal.wallawalled11	10,000+	601639168ac739e08fd267e86ba7eae440116e5b295fe01c00098bc2d9845405
Zelle® Easy Secure Payments	com.premkumar.zelleapp5	100,000+	8a943f50417c53fd9d8f522fdb69d76c96ca386c2416a43d20f9181350282bd1
Zelle® Faster Payments	com.premkumar.zelleapp2	50,000+	84fac9f350cd9d627392125cd3b06bac62321a2a36954605bd4680383ee86ae2
Zelle® – Faster Payments	com.zelleapp.devnexus2	10,000+	99122b355ba17d6fa55625414f9a48f8755f4a438374ce85c73c751e9f4fe6b6
Zelle® – Online Payments	com.mhd.zelleapp2	N/A	0022360894f15199c5f2fda5b5d8be3d26045d12ad50d80d02a23741601345af
Apple Pay	com.godwin.applepay3	N/A	aa6883d64438a4374a5f44b5180d8ff12ca3d0c9423946df092420291007fdaf

The post Android/RewaFake: Uncovering a Large-Scale Fake Apps Adware Campaign on Google Play appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Every time a big Amazon sales event takes place, shoppers flock to the deals. And scammers know it.

This year, Amazon has added a new Prime Day event Oct 6-7 called Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days event. And in preparation, we’re breaking down the ways scammers use AI-driven manipulation to create fake Amazon websites, send delivery scam texts, impersonate customer support agents, and make scams look more convincing than ever. 

Recent McAfee research suggests shoppers may be especially vulnerable in 2026. Forty percent of consumers say they would trust a lower-priced deal without verifying it first, while 29% admit they would skip researching a seller if the price looked good enough.

That combination of urgency, discounts, and increasingly sophisticated scams creates the perfect environment for fraud. 

“Anyone who has ever fallen for a scam thought they would recognize one first,” McAfee’s Head of Threat Research Abhishek Karnik reminds shoppers.  

“That confidence is part of what scammers count on,” he says. “Tools like McAfee exist precisely for those moments, flagging suspicious links, messages, and offers in real time, before a split-second decision becomes a costly one.”  

Here are the most common Amazon Prime Day scams to watch for in 2026 and the warning signs that can help you avoid them. 

Scam Type	How It Works	Red Flags
Fake shopping websites	Fraudulent websites mimic real retailers and disappear after collecting payments	Prices far below competitors, little company information, newly created websites
Fake social media ads	Ads promote products that never arrive or are counterfeit	Too-good-to-be-true discounts, limited reviews, unfamiliar brands
Delivery notification scams	Fake package alerts claim there is an issue with your shipment	Unexpected texts, suspicious links, requests for payment
Retailer impersonation scams	Messages claim there is a problem with your account or order	Urgent language, login requests, unfamiliar sender addresses
QR code scams	QR codes redirect shoppers to fraudulent websites	Codes placed on flyers, posters, packages, or public locations
Brushing scams	Unsolicited packages arrive at your home	Items you never ordered, requests to scan codes or leave reviews
Fake recall scams	Messages claim a recent purchase has been recalled	Requests for payment, account credentials, or personal information

Here are examples of Amazon-related scam texts our team came across near Prime day last year, McAfee’s Scam Detector helped detect and stop these messages:

 

 

Figure 1. Examples of Amazon tariff and job scams

 

Figure 2. An example of a fake Amazon sign-in page.

 

 

Figure 3. Examples of Amazon phishing scams

 

Why Prime Day Scams Work 

Major shopping events create the exact conditions scammers rely on: urgency, distraction, and the promise of savings. 

McAfee research found: 

• 82% of consumers prioritize finding the cheapest deal when shopping online  
• 55% spend more time hunting for discounts  
• 40% would trust a lower-priced deal without verifying it  
• 29% would skip researching a seller if the deal looked especially good  
• 23% feel pressure to act quickly before a deal disappears  

“What the data reflects is that economic pressure has effectively done some of the scammer’s work for them,” says Abhishek Karnik, Head of Threat Research at McAfee. “When consumers are already primed to move quickly and prioritize price over authenticity, it takes far less effort to push them toward a bad click or a fraudulent purchase.”  

How to Protect Yourself This Prime Day 

The good news? These scams are preventable if you know what to watch for and take the right precautions. Here’s your defense playbook: 

Verify Before You Trust 

• Amazon will never call you about suspicious account activity or unauthorized purchases 
• Always log into your Amazon account directly through amazon.com to check for real issues 
• Use Amazon’s Message Center – all legitimate communications from Amazon appear there 
• Never give personal information, passwords, or payment details over the phone 

Watch for Red Flags 

• Urgent language demanding immediate action (“Your account will be closed in 24 hours!”) 
• Requests for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cash 
• Claims that you need to “verify” or “legalize” your money 
• Transfers to “government agencies” during the same call 
• Pressure to keep the call secret or not hang up 

How to Protect Your Shopping Experience 

• Enable two-factor authentication on your Amazon account 
• Only shop on secure websites (look for “https://” and the padlock icon) 
• Monitor your bank and credit card statements regularly 
• Never click links in suspicious emails – go directly to the retailer’s website instead. 
• Use reputable online protection like McAfee to keep you safer from online shopping scams 
• Trust your gut – if it feels too urgent or too good to be true, it probably is 

Together, these protections are designed to address the broader range of online risks people face every day. 

Check out the McAfee our latest offer this Amazon Prime Big Deal Days Event here.

The post How to Shop Safely During Amazon’s October Prime Big Deal Days Shopping Event appeared first on McAfee Blog.

No matter where you live in the U.S., AI-driven scams and deceptive content are increasingly filling our feeds, alerts, and inboxes with moments that make us stop and ask: “Is this real?”

But the scams and threats Americans encounter aren’t the same everywhere. Where you live can shape the types of scams reaching your devices, how often you encounter them, and even how those experiences affect the way you behave online.

This 50-state breakdown combines McAfee consumer research with McAfee Labs data to show how Americans are experiencing scams, how those experiences are affecting trust and behavior online, and which text-based scams are reaching devices across the country.

The consumer findings come from a nationally representative survey of 5,000 U.S. adults, with 100 respondents in each state. The survey explores people’s exposure to scams, financial losses, changing online behaviors, concerns about AI and the mental effort involved in deciding what to trust online.

Alongside those findings, McAfee Labs analyzed text-based scam activity across the U.S. from May through July 2026. That data provides a view into the volume, concentration and types of scam texts McAfee observed in each state during the three-month analysis period.

Together, the two datasets offer different views of the same problem: what people say they are experiencing and how it affects them, alongside the scam activity McAfee is seeing in the wild.

Alabama

Key takeaway: Alabama had the highest scam-text rate per device in McAfee’s analysis, while scam concerns are also changing how residents behave online.

• 66% say figuring out what’s real online takes more mental energy than it did a year ago.
• 60% check whether something online is legitimate at least weekly.
• 19% say they do that checking several times a day.
• 45% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 83% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 64% have avoided an unfamiliar retailer because of scam concerns.
• 42% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email because they feared a scam.
• 41% have avoided trying a new app, website or service.
• 39% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• Investment and cryptocurrency scams were the leading text-scam category detected in Alabama.

McAfee detected 5.14 scam texts per device, the highest rate in the country.

Alaska

Key takeaway: Alaska has one of the widest gaps between rising trust fatigue and active checking: 54% report more mental effort, but only 44% verify online content at least weekly.

• 54% say figuring out what’s real online takes more mental energy than a year ago.
• 44% check online legitimacy at least weekly.
• 13% say they check several times a day.
• 44% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 82% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 48% have avoided an unfamiliar retailer.
• 39% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 40% have avoided trying a new app, website or service.
• 34% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams were the leading text-scam category detected in Alaska.

Arizona

Key takeaway: Arizonans are feeling a pronounced trust burden, with 65% saying it now takes more mental energy to decide what’s real online.

• 65% report greater mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 60% check online legitimacy at least weekly.
• 17% check several times a day.
• 41% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 81% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 43% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 44% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 31% have avoided trying a new app, website or service.
• 39% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Arizona’s text-scam volume.

Arkansas

Key takeaway: Arkansas residents are relatively active verifiers: 64% check online legitimacy at least weekly even though only about half report greater mental strain.

• 51% say figuring out what’s real online takes more mental energy.
• 64% verify online content at least weekly.
• 22% check several times a day.
• 38% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 77% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 46% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 42% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 32% have avoided trying a new app, website or service.
• 32% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Arkansas text-scam volume.

California

Key takeaway: California has one of the heaviest trust burdens in the survey: 72% say figuring out what’s real online now takes more mental energy.

• 72% report greater mental effort deciding what’s real online.
• 58% verify online content at least weekly.
• 20% check several times a day.
• 41% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 83% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 49% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 43% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 32% have avoided trying a new app, website or service.
• 38% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• Among Californians surveyed who lost money to scams, 72% recovered none of it.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led California’s  text-scam volume. 

Colorado

Key takeaway: Colorado’s clearest signal is concern about AI-enabled scams, shared by 85% of residents surveyed.

• 59% report greater mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 56% verify online content at least weekly.
• 15% check several times a day.
• 38% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 42% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 45% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 35% have avoided trying a new app, website or service.
• 34% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Colorado’s text-scam volume.

Connecticut

Key takeaway: Connecticut residents report rising trust fatigue, yet fewer than half say they verify online content every week.

• 57% say figuring out what’s real takes more mental energy.
• 47% verify online content at least weekly.
• 18% check several times a day.
• 35% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 79% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 33% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 36% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 26% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 24% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Connecticut’s text-scam volume.

Delaware

Key takeaway: Delaware stands out for exposure to synthetic imagery, with 46% encountering an AI-generated image presented as real.

• 53% report greater mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 53% verify online content at least weekly.
• 8% check several times a day.
• 46% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 80% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 47% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 34% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 30% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 33% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Delaware’s text-scam volume.

Florida

Key takeaway: Floridians are active online reality-checkers, with 63% verifying messages, offers, websites or people at least weekly.

• 56% report greater mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 63% verify online content at least weekly.
• 18% check several times a day.
• 43% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 43% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 37% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 42% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 27% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Florida text-scam volume.

Georgia

Key takeaway: Georgia had the second-highest scam-text-per-device rate highlighted by McAfee, at 4.67.

• 59% report greater mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 60% verify online content at least weekly.
• 25% check several times a day.
• 33% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 80% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 40% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 37% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 27% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 35% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• McAfee detected an average of 4.67 scam texts per device.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Georgia’s text-scam volume. 

Hawaii

Key takeaway: Hawaii had the country’s highest scam intensity among affected devices: those receiving at least one scam text averaged 8.45 over three months.

• 56% report greater mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 54% verify online content at least weekly.
• 13% check several times a day.
• 38% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 81% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 47% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 38% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 37% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 37% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• Affected devices averaged 8.45 scam texts, the highest figure nationally.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Hawaii’s text-scam volume. 

Idaho

Key takeaway: Idaho shows a sizeable trust gap: 62% report greater mental effort deciding what’s real, while 49% verify online content weekly.

• 62% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 49% verify online content at least weekly.
• 13% check several times a day.
• 43% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 82% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 48% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 35% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 40% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 38% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Idaho’s text-scam volume.

Illinois

Key takeaway: Two-thirds of Illinois residents say deciding what’s real online is taking more mental energy than a year ago.

• 66% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 59% verify online content at least weekly.
• 18% check several times a day.
• 39% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 75% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 40% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 26% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 32% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 24% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Illinois text-scam volume.

Indiana

Key takeaway: Indiana’s scam anxiety is translating into caution: 81% are concerned about AI making scams harder to recognize and 60% verify online content weekly.

• 62% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 60% verify online content at least weekly.
• 18% check several times a day.
• 46% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 81% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 38% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 41% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 35% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 35% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Indiana text-scam volume.

Iowa

Key takeaway: Iowa residents report relatively restrained checking behavior: 47% verify online content at least weekly despite 55% reporting greater mental effort.

• 55% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 47% verify online content at least weekly.
• 17% check several times a day.
• 33% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 81% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 43% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 32% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 33% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 34% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Iowa text-scam volume.

Kansas

Key takeaway: Kansas has one of the bleakest recovery pictures in the survey: 75% of scam victims who lost money recovered none of it.

• 61% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 51% verify online content at least weekly.
• 10% check several times a day.
• 40% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 80% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 42% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 39% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 40% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 32% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 75% of victims who lost money said they recovered none of it.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Kansas text-scam volume.

Kentucky

Key takeaway: Kentucky is the standout verification state: 76% say they check whether online content is legitimate at least weekly.

• 62% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 76% verify online content at least weekly.
• 19% check several times a day.
• 41% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 83% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 46% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 30% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 39% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 25% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Kentucky text-scam volume.

Louisiana

Key takeaway: Louisiana combines comparatively low trust fatigue with severe financial consequences: 73% of victims who lost money recovered none of it.

• 45% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 54% verify online content at least weekly.
• 13% check several times a day.
• 35% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 75% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 43% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 37% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 32% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 30% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 73% of victims who lost money said they recovered none of it.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Louisiana text-scam volume.

Maine

Key takeaway: Maine is one of only two states where toll and traffic scams, rather than investment and crypto scams, ranked first in McAfee’s text telemetry.

• 64% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 59% verify online content at least weekly.
• 13% check several times a day.
• 39% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 81% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 46% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 34% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 34% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 30% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Toll and traffic violation scams were Maine’s leading text-scam category.

Maryland

Key takeaway: Marylanders show particularly high concern about AI-enabled fraud, with 86% saying AI is making scams harder to recognize.

• 65% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 60% verify online content at least weekly.
• 25% check several times a day.
• 45% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 86% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 46% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 45% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 37% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 44% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Maryland text-scam volume.

Massachusetts

Key takeaway: Massachusetts has a striking trust gap: 65% report more mental effort deciding what’s real, but only 48% verify online content at least weekly.

• 65% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 48% verify online content at least weekly.
• 15% check several times a day.
• 46% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 86% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 47% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 35% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 37% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 38% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Massachusetts text-scam volume.

Michigan

Key takeaway: Michigan joins Maine as the only state where toll and traffic scams outranked investment and cryptocurrency scams.

• 71% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 52% verify online content at least weekly.
• 21% check several times a day.
• 43% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 71% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 40% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 35% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 34% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 32% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Toll and traffic violation scams were Michigan’s leading text-scam category.

Minnesota

Key takeaway: Minnesota records the highest AI-scam concern in the state crosstabs, at 91%.

• 60% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 59% verify online content at least weekly.
• 10% check several times a day.
• 47% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 91% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 44% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 44% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 38% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 34% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Minnesota text-scam volume.

Mississippi

Key takeaway: Mississippi had one of the heaviest scam-text loads in McAfee’s analysis, averaging roughly 4.64 scam texts per device.

• 55% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 54% verify online content at least weekly.
• 17% check several times a day.
• 32% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 82% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 43% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 34% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 34% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 35% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• McAfee detected roughly 4.64 scam texts per device.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Mississippi text-scam volume.

Missouri

Key takeaway: Missouri residents show a confidence problem around AI scams: 13% said they were not at all confident spotting AI-created or AI-enhanced fraud.

• 63% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 60% verify online content at least weekly.
• 16% check several times a day.
• 41% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 43% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 40% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 39% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 35% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 13% said they’re not at all confident they could spot a scam enhanced by AI

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Missouri text-scam volume.

Montana

Key takeaway: Montana has the highest reported exposure to AI-generated images presented as real, at 51%.

• 63% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 49% verify online content at least weekly.
• 11% check several times a day.
• 51% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 84% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 47% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 44% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 43% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 37% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Montana text-scam volume.

Nebraska

Key takeaway: Nebraska’s strongest signal is AI concern: 87% say AI is making online scams harder to recognize.

• 56% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 50% verify online content at least weekly.
• 8% check several times a day.
• 43% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 87% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 41% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 35% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 40% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 29% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Nebraska text-scam volume.

Nevada

Key takeaway: Nevada has the broadest reported scam exposure in the survey, with 95% encountering at least one type of scam in the past year.

• 60% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 66% verify online content at least weekly.
• 18% check several times a day.
• 43% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 82% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 45% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 33% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 32% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 33% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 95% encountered at least one type of scam in the past year.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Nevada text-scam volume.

New Hampshire

Key takeaway: New Hampshire shows another trust gap: 59% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real, while 46% verify online content weekly.

• 59% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 46% verify online content at least weekly.
• 10% check several times a day.
• 48% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 50% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 34% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 37% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 33% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led New Hampshire text-scam volume.

New Jersey

Key takeaway: New Jersey residents report unusually frequent scam exposure, with 30% saying they encounter four or more scam attempts on a typical day.

• 61% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 61% verify online content at least weekly.
• 18% check several times a day.
• 43% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 82% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 49% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 34% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 37% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 36% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 30% report encountering at least four scam attempts on a typical day.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led New Jersey text-scam volume.

New Mexico

Key takeaway: New Mexico has one of the toughest scam-recovery pictures: 72% of victims who lost money recovered none of it.

• 65% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 59% verify online content at least weekly.
• 16% check several times a day.
• 39% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 79% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 42% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 48% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 38% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 44% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 72% of victims who lost money said they recovered none of it.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led New Mexico text-scam volume.

New York

Key takeaway: New York’s most striking behavioral signal is comparatively low retailer avoidance: 33% have stayed away from unfamiliar sellers because of scam concerns.

• 59% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 58% verify online content at least weekly.
• 19% check several times a day.
• 41% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 78% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 33% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 37% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 27% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 27% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led New York text-scam volume.

North Carolina

Key takeaway: North Carolina stands out on recovery: 42% of scam victims who lost money said they recovered all of it.

• 53% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 65% verify online content at least weekly.
• 17% check several times a day.
• 33% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 69% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 38% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 38% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 29% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 29% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 42% of victims who lost money reported recovering all of it.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led North Carolina text-scam volume.

North Dakota

Key takeaway: North Dakota had the country’s highest concentration of scams in analyzed text traffic, at 2.8%.

• 61% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 55% verify online content at least weekly.
• 13% check several times a day.
• 46% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 83% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 48% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 40% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 40% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 37% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 2.8% of analyzed text traffic was classified as scams, the highest share nationally.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led North Dakota text-scam volume.

Ohio

Key takeaway: Ohio stands out for financial harm: 41% of respondents say they lost money to an online scam in the past year.

• 59% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 63% verify online content at least weekly.
• 20% check several times a day.
• 46% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 73% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 44% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 33% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 33% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 30% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 41% report losing money to an online scam in the past year.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Ohio text-scam volume.

Oklahoma

Key takeaway: Oklahoma consumers are feeling the mental load of navigating AI-powered scams: 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize, while half say figuring out what’s real online requires more mental effort.

• 56% verify online content at least weekly.
• 19% check several times a day.
• 47% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 50% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 46% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 39% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 43% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 10% say they never spend time checking whether online content is legitimate.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Oklahoma text-scam volume.

Oregon

Key takeaway: Oregon scam concerns are spilling into ordinary digital life, with 45% avoiding new apps, websites or services.

• 57% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 49% verify online content at least weekly.
• 17% check several times a day.
• 41% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 52% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 45% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 45% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 39% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Oregon text-scam volume.

Pennsylvania

Key takeaway: Pennsylvania has one of the heavier trust burdens in the survey, with 67% saying figuring out what’s real takes more mental energy.

• 67% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 54% verify online content at least weekly.
• 14% check several times a day.
• 39% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 48% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 38% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 37% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 31% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Pennsylvania text-scam volume.

Rhode Island

Key takeaway: Rhode Island scam concerns are affecting legitimate online behavior: 42% have avoided clicking a real message or link.

• 58% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 57% verify online content at least weekly.
• 11% check several times a day.
• 45% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 84% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 40% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 37% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 36% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 42% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Rhode Island text-scam volume.

South Carolina

Key takeaway: South Carolina has a confidence problem around AI scams: 13% say they are not at all confident identifying AI-created or AI-enhanced fraud.

• 57% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 47% verify online content at least weekly.
• 12% check several times a day.
• 44% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 79% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 43% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 42% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 38% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 39% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 13% say they are not at all confident identifying AI-created or AI-enhanced fraud.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led South Carolina text-scam volume.

South Dakota

Key takeaway: South Dakota’s scam response is relatively restrained compared with many states, with 35% avoiding unfamiliar retailers and 29% avoiding legitimate links.

• 55% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 52% verify online content at least weekly.
• 11% check several times a day.
• 41% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 78% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 35% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 37% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 38% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 29% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led South Dakota text-scam volume.

Tennessee

Key takeaway: Tennessee residents report rising trust fatigue without matching verification habits: 59% feel more mental strain, but 48% verify weekly.

• 59% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 48% verify online content at least weekly.
• 15% check several times a day.
• 40% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 80% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 48% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 33% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 35% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 37% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Tennessee text-scam volume.

Texas

Key takeaway: Texas is one of the more active verification states, with 62% checking online legitimacy at least weekly.

• 61% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 62% verify online content at least weekly.
• 22% check several times a day.
• 46% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 81% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 41% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 30% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 32% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 30% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Texas text-scam volume.

Utah

Key takeaway: Utah has one of the highest levels of exposure to AI-generated imagery, with 49% seeing an AI image presented as real.

• 58% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 50% verify online content at least weekly.
• 8% check several times a day.
• 49% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 43% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 40% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 43% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 32% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Utah text-scam volume.

Vermont

Key takeaway: Vermont has a sizeable trust-versus-action gap: 58% report more mental effort online while 47% verify content weekly.

• 58% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 47% verify online content at least weekly.
• 12% check several times a day.
• 45% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 79% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 47% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 28% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 32% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 30% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Vermont text-scam volume.

Virginia

Key takeaway: Virginia reports comparatively low exposure to AI-generated images presented as real, at 34%, even as concern about AI scams remains high.

• 58% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 54% verify online content at least weekly.
• 15% check several times a day.
• 34% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 83% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 40% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 33% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 39% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 30% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Virginia text-scam volume.

Washington

Key takeaway: Washington has one of the highest levels of AI-scam concern in the survey, at 86%.

• 62% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 55% verify online content at least weekly.
• 15% check several times a day.
• 40% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 86% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 50% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 36% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 34% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 36% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Washington text-scam volume.

West Virginia

Key takeaway: West Virginia has one of the lower weekly verification rates in the survey, at 45%, despite a majority reporting greater trust fatigue.

• 55% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 45% verify online content at least weekly.
• 12% check several times a day.
• 43% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 81% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 41% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 25% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 29% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 31% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led West Virginia text-scam volume.

Wisconsin

Key takeaway: Wisconsin shows relatively high exposure to synthetic imagery: 46% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.

• 56% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 49% verify online content at least weekly.
• 15% check several times a day.
• 46% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 85% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 39% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 35% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 26% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 26% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Wisconsin text-scam volume.

Wyoming

Key takeaway: Wyoming has the most distressing scam-loss recovery story in the survey: 76% of victims who lost money recovered none of it.

• 64% report more mental effort figuring out what’s real online.
• 52% verify online content at least weekly.
• 11% check several times a day.
• 49% have encountered an AI-generated image presented as real.
• 78% are concerned AI is making scams harder to recognize.
• 44% have avoided unfamiliar retailers.
• 41% have ignored a legitimate call, text or email.
• 43% have avoided a new app, website or service.
• 31% have avoided clicking a legitimate message or link.
• 76% of victims who lost money said they recovered none of it.

Investment and cryptocurrency scams led Wyoming text-scam volume.

The post What Scams Look Like in Your State: A 50-State Breakdown appeared first on McAfee Blog.

The best ways to protect your child from identity theft include freezing their credit, limiting exposure of personal information, monitoring for suspicious activity, securing family devices, and teaching safe online habits. Because children often don’t discover identity theft for years, taking preventive action early can help protect their credit, finances, and future opportunities.

Child identity theft is one of the fastest-growing forms of fraud, and many families don’t discover it until years after the damage is done. But child identity theft has surged in recent years, with 38% of U.S. survey participants reporting that a child or family member’s child had been victimized in 2025, jumping from 23% the year prior.

This guide explains how child identity theft happens, what warning signs to watch for, and the eight most effective ways to protect your child’s future.

Key Takeaways

• Children are prime targets because their Social Security numbers or national ID equivalents are a blank slate, allowing fraud to go undetected for years.
• Data breaches, phishing scams, social media oversharing, and AI-powered fraud are making child identity theft more common and harder to detect.
• In 2025, the FTC received 22,782 identity theft reports involving people 19 and under in the United States.
• AI-driven scams are making it faster and cheaper to target families and steal children’s data at scale.
• Freezing your child’s credit, monitoring for suspicious activity, and teaching safe online habits are among the most effective protective measures parents can take.

What is Child Identity Theft?

Child identity theft is a crime in which someone steals a minor’s personal information, most commonly the minor’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number (SSN) or equivalent national identifier, to commit fraud. The thief might open credit card accounts, take out loans, rent housing, file fraudulent tax returns, or claim government benefits, all in the child’s name. A 2021 Javelin Strategy study found that this crime affects one in every 50 children and costs U.S. families nearly $1 billion annually.

Why Child Identity Theft Is So Dangerous

The crime is made uniquely dangerous by the silence. Because children typically do not start applying for credit until they are 16 to 18, a thief can have more than a decade of undetected activity. As a result, by the time the victim becomes an adult, they may face:

• Damaged credit scores
• Debt collection notices
• Loan denials
• Difficulties renting housing

The crime is not confined to the United States, either. One documentary tells the story of Renata Furst Galvão, a native of Brazil, whose identity was stolen at age six and used to amass more than $400,000 in debt.

How Criminals Get Access to Children’s Information

To protect your child effectively, it helps to understand exactly who is targeting them, how they are getting in, and why the threat is accelerating. Even the most security-conscious household can be exposed through no fault of its own. In reality, information is often exposed through organizations that collect and store children’s data.

Common sources include:

1. Data breaches at retailers, healthcare providers, schools, and financial institutions could expose children’s information alongside adults’.
2. Social-engineering scams and phishing attacks may target parents directly to extract children’s details.
3. Social media profiles are prime targets for identity thieves to monitor, which is why a child posting their birthday, school name, and city in separate posts creates genuine risks. Minimize the personal details shared online and in photos.
4. Online games and apps that over-collect data, including a child’s full name, birthdate, and town, create additional opportunities for personal data exposure.

New Risks: AI Scams and Synthetic Identities

A December 2025 survey found that reports of ID theft rose from 43% in 2024 to 78% in 2025, a single-year spike that reflects how AI-powered tools have made it faster and cheaper for criminals to generate convincing phishing messages and fake identities at scale.

Synthetic identity fraud is particularly dangerous for children. It pairs a real Social Security number belonging to a minor unlikely to use it anytime soon with a fictitious name and address. The resulting fake identity can then build a credit history, take out loans, and disappear before anyone connects the dots.

Warning Signs Your Child’s Identity May Be Stolen

Catching this crime early makes the recovery process far less painful. Knowing what to look for means you will not dismiss the very clues that trigger a fast response.

Unexpected Mail, Bills and Collection Calls

The most common early indicators arrive in your mailbox or by phone, including:

• Pre-approved credit card offers in your child’s name
• Collection agencies calling to speak with your child
• Court notices or bills for accounts your child never opened

Any business mail addressed to a young child should trigger an immediate investigation.

Rejected Applications, Benefit Denials, Suspicious Debt

Many families first discover the theft during pivotal life moments. Examples include:

• A teen may be denied a learner’s permit due to fraudulent driving violations.
• A young adult may be denied an apartment because of unpaid debt on their credit report.
• Stolen Social Security numbers can interfere with access to government benefits.

Unexplained Credit Activity

Children typically should not have a credit history, so potential warning signs of identity theft include:

• A credit report exists under your child’s name
• Credit accounts appear that your family never opened
• Loan applications are associated with your child’s Social Security number
• Debt appears on your child’s credit file

If your child has a credit record before they are old enough to use credit, it may indicate identity theft.

The 8-Step Protection Plan for Parents

You can follow these steps while seeking guidance from financial educators, credit authorities, and consumer protection experts. Start small by choosing two or three today, then build from there.

Step 1: Check and Freeze Your Child’s Credit

A credit freeze is one of the most effective ways to protect your child from identity theft. If your child is under 16, request a free credit freeze from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This prevents anyone from opening new financial accounts in your child’s name without your authorization. Once in place, the freeze remains active until you ask the credit bureau to temporarily lift or remove it.

Because minors typically don’t have established credit files, the process for placing a freeze differs from that for adults. Each of the three major credit bureaus provides specific instructions for parents and guardians. Follow the guidance from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion to place a freeze on your child’s credit file.

Step 2: Enable Fraud Alerts and Social Security Reports

In addition to a credit freeze, it’s smart to watch for signs that someone is using your child’s identity. Ensure that you:

• File a fraud alert with each credit bureau to prompt verification checks if someone attempts to open an account in your child’s name.
• Request an earnings report from the Social Security Administration to confirm whether wages are being reported under your child’s SSN.
• Once your child is old enough to have a legitimate credit file, teach them to stagger their use of free credit reports from the AnnualCreditReport website, checking one bureau every four months.

Step 3: Educate Your Kids about Identity Theft & Private Information

In an honest, age-appropriate conversation, explain to them that personal information is the master key to their financial future and should not be shared with online strangers. Role-playing helps: ask your child what they would do if someone they met in a game asked for their full name and home address. Empowered kids are less likely to overshare and more likely to alert you when something feels off.

Step 4: Get Fierce about Protecting Your Child’s Data

Draw a very thick line around your child’s details. Reiterate that sharing them should be limited only when truly necessary, such as school enrollment or medical forms, and only with verified institutions. Ask why it is needed, how it will be stored, and if an alternative identifier is acceptable. Keep important documents in a locked safe and shred papers with your child’s information before disposal.

Step 5: Lock Down Devices, Accounts, and Online Habits

Talk with your kids about safe internet habits. Instruct them to stay skeptical of quizzes, free offers or apps, and unbelievable promos that request personal details. Set their social media accounts to private and limit follower or friend lists to people they know in real life. Use strong, unique passwords for family accounts and enable multifactor authentication on email, school portals, and social media apps used by older children.

Step 6: Monitor for Early Warning Signs

Regularly check your household mail for notices addressed to your child. If you spot anything suspicious, contact the company directly using the contact details on its official website. Do not call the number printed on the suspicious document, as it could redirect you to the thief who sent it. Consider using an identity monitoring service that scans for your child’s data in data breaches or on the dark web and alerts you when their information surfaces.

Step 7: Get Full-Device and Network Security

Many identity theft incidents start with a compromised family device. To reduce this risk, keep operating systems, browsers, and apps fully updated. Secure your home Wi-Fi with a strong password and WPA3 encryption to prevent data interception. Comprehensive security software, such as McAfee+ Family Plans, can help you block malware, keyloggers, and phishing sites that harvest personal data from every device in your home, including the tablets and phones your children use most.

Step 8: Act Quickly If Theft Happens

If you discover or suspect your child’s identity has been stolen, immediately contact the company where the fraudulent account was opened, close the account, and request written confirmation that your child bears no liability. Report the theft to IdentityTheft.gov, follow the personalized recovery plan, and file a police report to create an official record that will help resolve disputes with creditors.

Next, contact each credit bureau to cancel fraudulent accounts, inquiries, and collection notices linked to your child’s SSN. Keep detailed records of every call, letter, and case number throughout the process. Reporting the incident to the authorities helps your family recover and supports broader enforcement efforts that protect other families.

Final Thoughts

Child identity theft is a fast-growing, serious threat worldwide, but it is also one of the more preventable forms of fraud when families take proactive steps early. Start this week by spending 10 minutes to safely lock away your child’s physical documents, then call the major credit bureaus to request a freeze on your child’s credit. Build toward the full eight-step plan over the next month to close every door that leads to potential harm.

Beyond the 8-step sprint, add a recurring data safety day to your family calendar each year to recheck credit freezes and fraud alerts, review your children’s online accounts and platform settings, update devices and passwords, and discuss emerging threats. A family that combines strong protective habits with smart security tools is a much harder target for any kind of cybercrime.

The post 8 Steps to Protect Your Child From Identity Theft appeared first on McAfee Blog.

It’s 10 p.m. on a school night, but your child is still watching YouTube Shorts, one after another, and the feed never ends. YouTube is one of the most widely used video platforms among children. A 2025 Pew Research Center study found that about 85% of parents allow their children to watch videos on YouTube, including 51% who permit daily use.

If your children are among the millions using YouTube, this article will help you balance your child’s screen time on the platform, filter out inappropriate content, and keep their data safe.

Key Takeaways

• Even kid-friendly content on YouTube can include inappropriate themes, aggressive marketing, or low-quality videos designed solely for engagement, not learning.
• Choosing the right YouTube experience for your child’s age is essential. Select from YouTube Kids, supervised accounts on the main YouTube, or regular YouTube.
• In January 2026, YouTube introduced new parental controls for Shorts, allowing parents to set time limits or block short-form videos entirely for supervised accounts.
• The most effective approach combines smart tool settings, including content filters, time limits, and Restricted mode, with co-viewing and open conversations within families.

Is YouTube Safe for Kids?

YouTube can be safe for kids, but it isn’t automatically safe. While the platform offers educational videos, creative content, and entertainment for children of all ages, kids can still encounter inappropriate videos, cyberbullying, misleading content, and excessive screen time if parental controls aren’t enabled. For most families, YouTube Kids, supervised accounts, parental filters for YouTube, and regular monitoring provide the safest experience.

What Parents Need to Know about YouTube

YouTube has become a primary platform where children spend hours each week being entertained, getting help with their homework, and following social trends such as challenges and Shorts. They shift seamlessly between devices: first watching on the TV in the living room, then switching to a tablet in their bedroom, and then pulling it up on a phone in the car.

Unfortunately, some parents underestimate how quickly YouTube’s recommendation algorithm can steer kids from age-appropriate content to more intense, commercial, or borderline inappropriate videos. Recommendation algorithms are primarily designed to maximize engagement and viewing time, which may not always align with age-appropriate content. One minute, your child is watching an educational science video. Three autoplay cycles later, they’re watching an unboxing channel where an adult screams at toys for 20 minutes straight.

What Are the Biggest YouTube Safety Risks for Kids?

While YouTube offers everything from educational content to entertaining videos for kids, no video-sharing platform is completely risk-free. YouTube carries risks that many parents don’t fully understand until problems arise at home. Understanding these challenges is the first step toward helping children build more balanced digital habits.

Inappropriate and Low-Quality Content

Automated filters aren’t perfect. Despite explicit policies banning deceptive, sensational, and clickbait content on YouTube Kids, inappropriate content can slip through. You might find cartoon violence, endless unboxing videos dressed up with science or learning keywords, or content that promotes unrealistic body images. In addition, many videos aimed at children encourage risky physical challenges, harmful pranking, and consumerism.

If your child is gravitating toward such content, use it as a teaching moment. Watch a few videos together and ask your child what they like about them. Then gently guide them toward higher-quality alternatives.

Child development experts warn that this type of content, when consumed in large doses, can crowd out creative play, may contribute to a lack of focus, and reduce time spent on activities that foster creativity and critical thinking.

YouTube Shorts and Excessive Screen Time

Short-form vertical video like YouTube Shorts has become a particular source of concern for parents, educators, and mental health professionals. The format’s infinite scroll and rapid-fire delivery make it engaging for young viewers, but researchers and child safety advocates have raised concerns that endless-scroll feeds may cause sleep disruption and compulsive viewing habits.

In addition, pediatric health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, are concerned that excessive screen time can mean fewer hours spent reading, playing outdoors, having face-to-face conversations, or engaging in imaginative play.

Cyberbullying and Unsafe Interactions

Children using standard YouTube accounts may encounter toxic comments, harassment, or cyberbullying. While younger children are less likely to engage with comments, older kids and teens often participate in online discussions that can expose them to negative interactions.

If your child experiences online harassment:

• Encourage them not to respond to aggressive comments
• Teach them how to report online bullying
• Use YouTube’s reporting tools to block abusive users
• Save evidence of serious threats or harassment

Learning how to stop a cyberbully starts with open communication and making sure children know they can come to a trusted adult when something online feels wrong.

Data, Privacy, and Advertising

YouTube Kids collects data about your child’s viewing habits and device, including IP addresses, to power recommendations and serve ads. Although regulations such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the U.S. limit personalized advertising for children, many parents remain uneasy about the amount of data collected.

Recommendation algorithms can also narrow what kids see, showing them endless variations of the same content type. A child who watches one slime video might end up in a loop of nothing but slime videos. This creates a repetitive, passive viewing experience that doesn’t expose children to diverse ideas or interests.

Red Flags or Warning Signs Parents Should Watch For

A child doesn’t need to view harmful content to develop unhealthy YouTube habits. Consider reviewing your family’s YouTube settings if you notice:

Behavioral Changes

Consider reviewing your family’s YouTube settings, screen time limits, and online safety practices if you notice any of the following:

• Meltdowns, arguments, or persistent bargaining for “just one more video” when it’s time to stop watching
• Sleep disruption, including difficulty falling asleep, waking up tired, or sneaking devices at night to watch videos
• Declining interest in offline activities, such as sports, reading, hobbies, or time with friends and family
• Secretive behavior, such as hiding screens, clearing watch history, or becoming defensive when asked what they’re watching
• Slipping grades or incomplete homework due to excessive time spent watching videos or YouTube Shorts
• Appearing unusually anxious, upset, or withdrawn after spending time on YouTube
• Receiving mean comments, harassment, or unwanted attention on their uploaded videos
• Becoming overly attached to content creators and speaking about them as if they are personal friends
• Reluctance to discuss online interactions, comments, or messages from other users

These behaviors don’t necessarily mean your child is watching harmful content. However, they may indicate that YouTube is displacing other important activities, that screen time has become excessive, or that your child is experiencing uncomfortable online interactions.

For older children and teens, changes in mood, secrecy around devices, or sudden reluctance to use YouTube may also be signs of cyberbullying. Creating a judgment-free environment can make it easier for children to discuss negative online experiences and seek help when needed.

If you notice several of these warning signs at once, it may be time to reassess screen time limits, review the watch history together, and discuss how to interact safely with others online.

Choose the Right Experience for Your Children

YouTube offers three distinct experiences for families, and choosing the right one for each child matters more than any other setting you’ll configure:

YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids is a standalone app designed specifically for children. It offers three age-based profiles designed to pull up appropriate content for young viewers:

• Preschool (4 and under): This is the most restrictive mode, featuring videos that promote creativity, playfulness, learning, and exploration.
• Younger (5-8): This mode expands to include songs, cartoons, crafts, and content for early elementary-aged children.
• Older (9-12): In this mode, the app features music videos, gaming content, science videos, and vlogs appropriate for tweens.

Within each profile, parents can choose between Curated mode and All of YouTube Kids mode. Curated mode includes only channels verified by YouTube’s human reviewers, making it the safest option for younger children. All of YouTube Kids mode includes more videos approved by automated filters, increasing the chance that inappropriate videos may slip through.

Disabling the search function in YouTube Kids limits your child to content on the home screen, which is an excellent option for very young children who don’t yet need the breadth of YouTube’s catalog. You can also block specific channels and review your child’s watch history to monitor what they’re watching. Overall, the app offers additional protections compared with the standard YouTube experience.

Supervised Accounts on Main YouTube

Supervised accounts on the main YouTube platform serve as a middle ground for kids who’ve outgrown YouTube Kids’ toddler aesthetic but aren’t ready for the unfiltered internet. These accounts, managed through Google Family Link, let parents:

• Choose from three content settings: Explore for ages 9+, Explore More for ages 13+, and Most of YouTube for ages 18+
• Enable or disable the search function
• Manage which features the child can access, including comments, live streams, and community posts
• Benefit from stricter community guidelines and protections for users under 18

After receiving feedback from parents and experts, the platform introduced controls to block Shorts or to set daily time limits for supervised accounts. The new controls also let parents:

• Customize Bedtime reminders that prevent access during late hours when screens should be off
• Enable Take a Break reminders, which prompt the child to pause after extended viewing sessions

These controls apply across all devices where the child is signed in and are designed to prevent children from disabling them without parental approval. In addition, the streamlined sign-up process makes it easier for parents to create a supervised account and switch between their own and their child’s account within the mobile app.

Regular YouTube

Regular YouTube is the full, unrestricted platform. If your child has an adult account, you’re relying entirely on their judgment and whatever settings they choose to enable. For younger teens, this can be risky without clear family agreements and monitoring.

Understanding YouTube Age Verification

YouTube uses account information and age-verification systems to determine whether a user should be treated as a child, teenager, or adult. Age verification determines what content users can access, what ads they see, and which safety features YouTube automatically applies.

How Does YouTube Age Verification Work?

When someone creates a Google account, they provide a birthdate that YouTube uses to determine age. In some regions, YouTube may also use account signals to estimate whether the user is under 18.

If YouTube determines that a user is under 18, the platform may:

• Restrict age-restricted videos
• Limit personalized advertising
• Provide additional recommendation safeguards
• Enable reminders to take breaks
• Apply additional teen safety protections

What Happens If YouTube Thinks You’re Under 18?

If YouTube identifies a user as under 18, additional protections may automatically apply. These may include restrictions on mature content, changes to recommendations, reduced ad personalization, and digital well-being features designed for younger users.

How to Set Parental Controls on YouTube

YouTube offers several parental control options to help families manage content, screen time, privacy, and interactions. Most of these controls can be configured through Google Family Link, YouTube Kids, or YouTube’s built-in safety settings.

Parents who want to enable parental controls on YouTube, add a parental lock to the YouTube app, or create a more age-appropriate experience can explore the following options:

Parental Control	What It Does
Supervised Accounts	Allows parents to select age-appropriate content settings and manage certain YouTube features.
YouTube Kids	Provides a child-focused experience with age-based content settings and additional parental controls.
Search Controls	Lets parents limit or disable search to reduce exposure to unintended content.
Channel and Video Blocking	Allows families to block specific channels or videos they don’t want children to access.
Restricted Mode	Helps filter potentially mature content from search results and recommendations.
YouTube Shorts Controls	Lets parents manage access to Shorts and set viewing limits on supervised accounts.
Screen Time and Bedtime Controls	Allows families to set YouTube time limits, bedtime reminders, and viewing schedules.
Comment and Community Features	Gives parents greater control over interactions with other users.

For younger children, families may choose YouTube Kids with Search disabled to provide a more curated content experience. Older children and teens may benefit from supervised accounts that offer greater independence while still giving parents visibility and control.

Google regularly updates its parental control tools and settings. For the latest information on available options and setup guidance, visit Google’s Family Help Center.

Building a Safer YouTube Setup at Home

After choosing the right experience for your child, you can start configuring YouTube’s settings for added security.

For YouTube Kids

1. Choose the correct age profile and content mode during the app setup.
2. Disable search if you want to limit viewing to home screen recommendations only.
3. Block specific channels if you notice your child repeatedly watching low-quality or overly commercial content.
4. Turn off autoplay to prevent endless video chains.
5. Review your child’s watch history weekly to spot any concerning patterns.

For Supervised Accounts

1. Open Google Family Link and set up a supervised YouTube account for your child.
2. Choose the appropriate content level, starting conservatively. You can always grant more access later.
3. Set time limits for Shorts or block them if your child struggles with self-regulation.
4. Configure Bedtime reminders to enforce screen-free hours, especially before sleep.
5. Enable Take a Break reminders to interrupt binge-watching sessions.
6. Keep search disabled initially, and enable it only when your child demonstrates good judgment.
7. Review and adjust settings every few months as your child matures.

Any YouTube Account Your Child Might Access

1. Turn on Restricted Mode, which uses community feedback, metadata, and other signals to hide videos that may contain mature content. To lock this mode so that your child can’t disable it, go to the Google Family Link.
2. Disable autoplay and turn off notifications to reduce passive consumption.
3. Review the privacy settings to make sure that your child’s uploads, if allowed, aren’t publicly visible.

Co-Viewing and Conversations

Settings and filters are necessary, but they’re not sufficient. Research on children’s media use consistently shows that the best outcomes result from combining tools with active parental engagement. This means:

• Co-viewing: Sit with your child regularly and watch their favorite channels together. Ask what they like about the content and use it as an entry point for conversations about advertising, authenticity, and what’s real versus staged.
• Talking about what they see: If your child watches gaming videos, talk about the difference between games and reality. If they watch beauty influencers, discuss how lighting, makeup, and editing can create unrealistic expectations.
• Modeling good habits: Children learn by watching you. If you’re constantly on your phone or scrolling through videos during family time, they’ll internalize that as normal. Set family screen-free zones and times that apply to everyone, including adults.
• Creating a media plan: Sit down together and agree on daily or weekly screen time limits, acceptable content types, and what to do if they encounter something that makes them uncomfortable. Tools like the American Academy of Pediatrics media plan can help structure this conversation.

Final Thoughts

Recent years have brought improvements to YouTube as an engagement tool for children. Short-form video time limits, supervised accounts with meaningful controls, and growing awareness among parents and educators of the stakes mean we are better positioned to create safer, more balanced digital experiences.

Combine these efforts with another layer of comprehensive protection tools, such as McAfee+, to help reduce exposure to threats that may bypass platform-level filters. Together, these measures support a more thoughtful and safer online experience for children.

The post A Parent’s Guide to YouTube Safety for Children appeared first on McAfee Blog.

When you scroll through your teen’s iPhone during a casual check-in, you might see messaging apps, a few games, school tools, maybe TikTok. Everything looks normal. But what if some of the apps your child uses most aren’t showing up at all? What if that innocent-looking calculator icon is actually a vault for hidden photos, private chats, and secret social media accounts?

This isn’t science fiction or paranoia. Teens now have powerful tools to keep entire corners of their digital lives invisible to parents. Starting with iOS 18, which rolled out in late 2024, iPhone users can now natively lock and hide apps from the Home Screen, search results, and even from obvious parts of the App Library without biometric authentication.

If you suspect your child or teen is hiding apps and engaging in potentially harmful online activities, you may find this guide helpful. We’ll discuss the current digital landscape that threatens children and methods for checking for and uncovering hidden apps. More importantly, we will share insights on how to start conversations with your teens about the risks of hiding apps, and tips on how to keep your child safe from predators and other cybercriminals.

Key Takeaways

• Teens hide apps for many reasons, including seeking normal privacy, avoiding conflict over screen time, and concealing genuinely risky behavior such as cyberbullying, sexting, and contacting strangers.
• iOS 18’s native hiding features allow users to lock apps behind Face ID and move them to a hidden folder, making casual parental discovery much harder.
• Parents can check for hidden apps by reviewing iPhone Storage settings, Screen Time reports, and the App Library’s Hidden folder.
• The healthiest approach blends understanding how hiding works with ongoing, honest family conversations and smart use of security tools.

Why Kids and Teens Hide Apps on iPhone

The ability to conceal apps on iPhones has expanded with iOS 18’s native features and disguise vault apps. Teens worldwide can now make entire app categories invisible to parental checks. Before exploring how to uncover hidden apps, it’s important to first understand why children do it. When we grasp their motivations, we are better positioned to respond constructively rather than punitively.

Privacy from Parents and Peers

A study from the Pew Research Center shows that about half of parents in the U.S. look through their teen’s phone. But many teens use hidden apps to keep parts of their social life private: conversations with crushes, embarrassing photos, fan fiction, fake Instagram or finsta accounts where they share unfiltered thoughts.

These patterns reflect global trends as smartphones become central to adolescent identity worldwide, according to Nexus Teen Academy. Hiding isn’t always about danger. Often it’s about autonomy and the universal teenage desire for private space.

Avoiding Screen Time Limits and Parental Controls

In its survey, Pew Research also revealed that around 47% of parents in the U.S. set screen time limits. To circumvent this restriction, some teens find workarounds such as hiding apps to bypass Screen Time, keeping backup social apps off the approved list, or using web browsers instead of installed apps.

Hiding Risky or Sensitive Content

Some teens hide apps or use secondary accounts to disguise risky content or activities they may be involved in, including for sexting, dangerous challenges, or contacting strangers or certain communities. Vault apps may store explicit images or bullying screenshots that teens are ashamed to show adults. Hiding removes early warning signs that could prompt intervention before situations escalate.

The Risks of Hiding Apps

Hidden apps are just one piece of a larger digital reality in which teens spend hours each day online, often beyond adult supervision. To respond effectively, you need to recognize the prevalence and hazards of this trend.

Screen Time and Conflict in Families

Studies show that teens globally spend around 7 hours and 22 minutes looking at device screens daily, 4.8 hours of which are on social media. However, too much time spent on social media has been linked to poor mental health, including symptoms of depression and anxiety. Long screen time was linked to conflict in 38% of families, another survey found.

Mental Health Concerns

When screen time creates constant conflict in the family, hiding apps can feel like a way to keep the peace for teens. This impulse can hide situations that are genuinely harmful to children’s and teens’ mental health and overall well-being. Pediatric health organizations note that unsupervised, high-intensity, and excessive use of social media is linked to increased anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and body image issues.

Contact with Strangers and Harmful Communities

Hidden messaging apps may contain conversations with unknown contacts, including adults with predatory intentions, communities that encourage eating disorders or self-harm, and secret accounts that host cyberbullying.

As your child or teen removes visibility of their online activities, you as a parent lose an early-warning system to late-night usage spikes, obsessive checking, or mood changes related to specific apps, signs that could help you intervene before a crisis develops.

How to Hide Apps on iPhone

Understanding how apps are hidden will help you know what’s possible and where to look.

Apple’s Hidden Apps Feature in iOS 18

In September 2024, Apple introduced a feature where the app icon and name vanish from the Home Screen entirely, moving into a special Hidden folder in the App Library that requires biometric or passcode authentication to access. These hidden apps won’t appear in Spotlight search, Siri suggestions, or standard app lists. While this feature has legitimate privacy use for adults to protect critical apps such as banking, email, or social media in case their device is lost or stolen, some kids have misused it to make entire categories of apps invisible without any technical workarounds.

Older Tricks Kids Still Use

Before iOS 18, tech-savvy teens found creative workarounds. They could remove apps from the Home Screen to appear only in the App Library, bury them in deep folders, or use the Shortcuts app to change app icons and names, making social apps look like utilities labeled “Tools” or “Notes.”

Calculator and Utility Vault Apps Explained

App stores host dozens of apps that look innocent but serve as secret lockers. Known as vault apps, these masquerade as calculators, music players, or utilities, but hide a private space filled with photos, videos, or messages. Some vault apps require multiple passwords: the first opens a decoy vault with harmless content, while the second unlocks the real stash. Others include stealth features like auto-closing when flipped, photographing wrong-code attempts, or sending fake error messages.

How to Find Hidden Apps on iPhone

Even when apps are hidden from view, they don’t disappear entirely from the device. Knowing where to look can help you get a clearer picture of what’s actually installed on your child’s iPhone.

Check iPhone Storage

To find hidden apps on your teen’s phone, you can start by doing it the old-fashioned way. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Legitimate calculators or flashlights typically use under 30 MB. A calculator consuming 200 MB or more is likely storing content. Vault apps still report storage usage and usually appear in Screen Time reports unless tracking is disabled. This gives you a concrete detection technique without advanced skills. It’s not foolproof, but it’s a useful starting point.

Review the Hidden Folder in App Library

Open the App Library by swiping left past your last Home Screen page. Scroll all the way down. If any apps are hidden, you’ll see a Hidden section, but accessing it requires authentication. If your teen has set up Face ID, you’ll need their cooperation or their passcode to view this folder.

Analyze Screen Time Reports

Go to Settings > Screen Time > See All Activity, then tap into specific days or weeks and scroll through the Apps section. If your teen uses an app heavily, the total hours will likely appear in usage reports even if the app is hidden from the Home Screen. Keep in mind that users can turn off Screen Time tracking for individual apps, but many teens don’t think to do this, making it a useful secondary check.

Healthy Ways Parents Can Respond to Hidden Apps and Digital Secrecy

Very tech-savvy teens can turn off Screen Time, use web versions of apps in private browsers, or delete vault apps before checks and reinstall them after. Technical detection is a conversation starter, but it won’t address the root cause. The goal isn’t to win in an arms race against your child, but to build an environment where hiding feels less necessary.

Start with Conversations

As a parent, it is natural to check your teen’s phone, even as health organizations urge more dialogue about social media risks. But your teen may worry that you will overreact or judge them harshly for normal experimentation. Resolving this tension requires conversation, not just monitoring.

Frame it as collaborative. Explain your concern about certain apps: cyberbullying, predatory strangers, self-harm content, and scams targeting young people. Ask what they like and dislike about their online spaces and why they feel pressure to hide things. Explain that you’re supporting their safety, not invading privacy. If your teen trusts that distinction, they’re more likely to disclose risky situations.

Set Clear, Age-Appropriate Digital Rules

• Create a written family tech agreement that covers specifics: which apps are allowed at which ages, whether vault apps are permitted, the process for joint monthly check-ins rather than surprise raids, and consequences for breaking the rules.
• Adjust expectations as kids age: A 13-year-old and a 17-year-old need different levels of autonomy. Younger teens might agree to open-phone policies, while older teens earn more privacy with clear red lines around illegal and harmful content, or contact with unknown adults. When rules are clear and mutually agreed on, teens feel respected and are more likely to follow them.
• No locking or hidden apps in Family Sharing: Kids aged 13 to 17 in a Family Sharing group can lock or hide an app. However, a parent or guardian in the group can still see which apps were installed and how much time they were used, and restrict access to them using Screen Time.
• Use parental control tools: Consider a comprehensive solution that includes parental controls, which can help your children build healthy digital habits by allowing you to monitor their usage, set limits, and even track their whereabouts.​

Recognize the Red Flags

Hidden apps alongside sudden mood changes, withdrawal, secretive behavior, school performance drops, or sleep pattern changes could signal something serious. If you notice these patterns, reach out to school counselors, your child’s pediatrician, or a mental health professional. The goal is early intervention, not punishment. Kids in these situations need help, not sanctions.

Final Thoughts

The ability to hide apps on iPhones has expanded dramatically with iOS 18’s native features and vault apps. While this capability has legitimate privacy use for adults, teens could misuse it by making entire app categories invisible to casual parental checks.

But kids hiding apps are just a symptom, not the root problem. When parents focus solely on finding every hidden app, it can erode trust and push kids to hide even more cleverly. The most effective response blends technical awareness and relationship work.

Have a calm conversation with your child about online privacy and safety. Lead with genuine interest and share concerns openly. Next, collaboratively review the Screen Time and iPhone Storage reports. If you find something unexpected, respond with curiosity, not anger.

Finally, create clear, age-appropriate family agreements about phone use and privacy boundaries. Revisit them as your child grows. Make space for private corners of their digital life while maintaining firm red lines around illegal content, contact with strangers, or harmful material.

Security tools such as McAfee+ Family Plans can support your children’s digital safety by allowing you to block harmful content, manage screen time, and monitor their location. The goal isn’t perfect control. It’s ongoing communication, smart boundaries, and enough visibility to catch warning signs early.

The post How to Hide and Find the Apps You Don’t See on Your Kid’s iPhone appeared first on McAfee Blog.

An old friend messages you about an incredible crypto opportunity they’ve been using, showing screenshots of impressive returns. The platform looks professional and the interface is slick, so you decide to invest a few thousand dollars to test it. Seeing your money grow daily encourages you to add more. Just when you want to withdraw your funds, the platform vanishes overnight, your friend stops responding, and you realize the entire thing was an elaborate hoax designed to separate you from your savings.

Incidents like these don’t only target tech enthusiasts or risk-seeking traders. The victims also included retirees, first-time investors, and everyday people trying to build financial security who are systematically targeted by criminal operations.

If you are considering investing in cryptocurrency, this guide will help you learn about common types of crypto fraud, recognize their warning signs, and adopt strategies to avoid falling victim to crypto-related cyber threats.

Key Takeaways

• The 66% increase in crypto-related fraud over the previous year makes investment scams the costliest fraud category the country faces today.
• From early, short-lived crypto scams to today’s organized criminals, months of relationship-building, professional marketing, fake trading platforms, and smart-contract manipulation are used to appear legitimate.
• Individuals aged 60+ lost more than $2.8 billion in crypto-related scams in 2024, while people of all ages are targeted in social media, dating apps, and fake brokerage sites.
• You can dramatically reduce your risk in crypto investments by understanding how these scams work, recognizing red flags, and following essential security practices.

What Are Crypto and NFT Scams?

Crypto and NFT scams are fraudulent schemes that exploit the unique characteristics of blockchain-based digital assets to deceive victims and steal their money or tokens. Unlike traditional financial fraud, these scams leverage the irreversible and complex nature of blockchain transactions, the lack of consumer protection mechanisms in an unregulated sector, and the fear of missing out on the next big opportunity.

Cryptocurrency is digital money that uses cryptography for security and is traded on decentralized networks called blockchains. It is digital cash that no single bank or government regulates. On the other hand, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique digital certificates of ownership recorded on a blockchain, commonly used to represent digital art, collectibles, or membership rights. Being non-fungible means each token is one-of-a-kind and can’t be exchanged one-to-one like currency.

The scams targeting these assets take many forms, including fake investment platforms that display fabricated profits, fraudulent token projects where creators disappear with investors’ money, phishing websites that steal your digital wallet credentials, and long-con relationship scams. Unfortunately, transactions related to these scams cannot be reversed by calling your bank or credit card company. Once your crypto or NFTs are gone, they’re almost always gone for good.

Why Scammers Prefer Cryptocurrency and NFTs as a Payment Method

In 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded 859,000+ cybercrime complaints, with total losses of $16.6 billion, a 33% increase over 2023. Of that total, approximately $9.3 billion involved crypto investments or payments, spread across roughly 150,000 complaints.

Losses from global rug-pull scams, which are phony crypto offerings that quickly skyrocket and then plunge to near worthlessness, reached nearly $6 billion in early 2025, despite a decline in incidents.

Scammers now prefer cryptocurrency as the payment method for all kinds of fraud, whether it’s for tech support, romance, phishing, or extortion scams, because it’s difficult to trace and impossible to reverse. The moment someone tells you to download a crypto wallet app or send payment via Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any other digital currency, you’re likely dealing with a criminal.

Everyone Is a Target, But Some Groups Face Higher Risk

Because of the decentralized, borderless nature of cryptocurrency, international criminal syndicates are able to operate from jurisdictions with weak enforcement while targeting victims worldwide. This problem isn’t just affecting young, tech-savvy early adopters or risk-seeking day traders. It is also affecting ordinary people worldwide, including first-time investors and victims of other types of scams across all age groups.

Individuals aged 60 and over, who lost a total of $2.8 billion in 33,000 crypto fraud incidents in 2024, face particularly severe financial impact as this amount represents their life savings, retirement funds, or money earmarked for healthcare, housing, or supporting family members. The emotional and financial devastation extends far beyond the dollar figures.

Older adults are so heavily targeted because they’re more likely to have substantial savings available to invest, may be less familiar with how cryptocurrency works, and often have more time to engage with scammers. In some cases, individuals were seeking to financially recover after recent market downturns, making high-return crypto promises particularly appealing.

Younger investors are targeted through different channels, such as social media, but the fundamental vulnerability remains the same: the promise of quick wealth and sophisticated social engineering.

The Most Common Crypto and NFT Scam Types

Pig-Butchering Investment Schemes 

Considered the most devastating category, pig-butchering scams originate from the farming practice of fattening a pig before slaughter, chillingly describing the scammer’s approach. These long cons run for months as criminals build relationships with victims through dating apps, social media, or wrong-number texts that turn into friendly conversations.

Gradually, the scammer will introduce the topic of cryptocurrency, positioning themselves as either a successful investor or someone learning from a knowledgeable mentor. Patiently, they guide the victim onto a fake but professionally designed, fully functional trading platform that shows real-time market data and walk them through making initial deposits and trades. On screen, the victim sees their account balance grow, which encourages them to deposit increasingly larger sums. Many even liquidate retirement accounts, take out loans, or sell property to invest more.

When the victim attempts to withdraw funds, the platform suddenly requires tax payments or verification fees, or threatens frozen accounts unless more money is deposited. 

If victims refuse to send additional funds, the scammer ghosts them, the platform shuts down, and they discover that no trading ever occurred. Every dollar they sent went directly into criminal wallets.

Rug Pulls in Memecoins and DeFi Projects 

Modern rug pull schemes are named for the action of pulling the rug out from under someone and leaving them shocked or helpless. One popular rug-pull method involves memecoins such as Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, which were hype-driven cryptocurrencies inspired by internet trends. Another involves DeFi (decentralized finance) projects, which offer financial services such as trading, lending, and investing outside of traditional banks. 

Both can be legitimate, but their fast-moving, lightly regulated nature also makes them prime targets for scams, especially rug pulls where creators suddenly drain funds and disappear. However, these schemes do not offer a clear utility or roadmap, relying entirely on hype, memes, and community without articulating a specific use case, technical innovation, or development path.

To build credibility before they exit, scammers might:

1. Launch a crypto campaign with seeming transparency, using identities that are often stolen or fabricated
2. Seed a liquidity pool that is locked for a period to demonstrate their commitment
3. Employ obscure auditing firms that merely rubber-stamp the project without a genuine security review
4. Coordinate with influencer networks to create viral social media buzz around the fake crypto project
5. Use bot networks to simulate active trading and enthusiastic community discussion
6. Gradually siphon the funds through complex smart-contract functions while maintaining the appearance of locked liquidity
7. Finally drain the remaining funds and disappear, often blaming hackers or claiming the project was itself compromised

Phishing and Wallet-Draining Attacks

Targeting NFT holders and crypto traders, this evolving scam includes:

• Fake mint sites and marketplace clones: Scammers create websites that look identical to legitimate NFT platforms. Victims who connect their wallets to these phishing sites and approve transactions inadvertently sign malicious contracts that drain their assets.
• Discord and social media impersonation: Criminals compromise or imitate official project Discord servers, Twitter accounts, and Telegram groups, posting fake announcements about NFT drops or security updates that link to phishing sites.
• Malicious wallet updates: These involve fake browser extensions, mobile apps, or email warnings claiming your wallet software needs an urgent security patch. Once you install the malicious version, attackers access your private keys or seed phrases.
• Customer support impersonation: Scammers pose as support staff from crypto exchanges, wallet providers, or NFT platforms, asking victims to share security information or provide remote access to their computers to resolve fabricated issues.

The common thread across all these attacks is social engineering combined with the irreversible nature of blockchain transactions. Your confusion, an urgent email, one click, and your assets are gone with no way to reverse the transaction.

Crypto and NFT Scams Still Evolving

From 2020 to 2022, many of these early crypto and NFT scams consisted of poorly designed websites, unrealistic promises, and little effort to hide criminal intentions. Today, crypto criminals have become more efficient and effective. As an example, the number of rug-pull incidents declined by about 66% in early 2025, yet the total value stolen still exploded to $6 billion, up from roughly $90 million the year before. 

Organized crypto scam operations are characterized by:

• Multi-wallet structures where funds might pass through dozens of addresses across different blockchains before disappearing into mixers that blend transactions to hide their origin or are cashed out through unregulated exchanges.
• Honeypot smart contracts, which are seemingly legitimate tokens that can be purchased normally, but the underlying code contains hidden functions that prevent buyers from selling when they want to cash out. The contract is designed to trap liquidity, hence the name.
• Professional marketing and community-building, where scammers may hire website designers, influencers, and individuals to post fake positive reviews on social media. They could also deploy bots to simulate active trading and enthusiastic community discussion, and create fabricated LinkedIn accounts with AI-generated profile photos.

How to Protect Yourself from Crypto and NFT Scams Today

Protecting yourself from modern crypto scams requires more than awareness; it demands consistent habits, smart decision-making, and the right tools. As threats continue to evolve, building strong security practices today is the best way to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated attacks.

Step 1: Decide If Crypto and NFTs Fit Your Risk Profile

Given that investment fraud is now the top fraud category by value in the U.S. and crypto-enabled fraud accounts for the majority of those losses, you will need to critically evaluate whether investing in cryptocurrency or NFTs aligns with your financial goals and risk tolerance.

This space combines extreme price volatility, complex technical requirements, irreversible transactions, minimal consumer protection, and a target-rich environment for criminals. If any of the following apply to you, your wisest choice is to proceed with extreme caution or avoid crypto investment entirely:

• You’re investing money you can’t afford to lose.
• You feel time pressure or fear of missing out, driving your decisions.
• You don’t fully understand cryptocurrency wallets, private keys, and blockchain transactions.
• You’re being introduced to the opportunity by someone you met only online.
• The promised returns seem unusually high compared to traditional investments.
• If something goes wrong, you likely have no way to recover your funds.

Choosing not to invest in crypto isn’t missing out, but making a risk-aware decision. Traditional, regulated investment vehicles may offer lower potential returns, but they come with legal protections, regulatory oversight, and mechanisms for recovering from fraud.

Step 2: Adopt Essential Anti-Scam Rules

If you decide to invest in cryptocurrency or NFTs anyway, adopt these fundamental security practices to dramatically reduce your vulnerability:

Never Send Crypto Based on Unsolicited Contact

If someone reaches out to you through any medium who steers the conversation to cryptocurrency investment opportunities, you’re almost certainly being targeted for fraud. Legitimate investment opportunities don’t find you this way.

Similarly, any communication that promises guaranteed returns, uses urgency, or pressures you before you can independently verify information is a red flag.

Verify Platforms Independently and Exhaustively

Before depositing funds anywhere, verify the platform’s legitimacy through multiple independent sources. Look for:

• Regulatory registration: Many scam platforms falsely claim regulatory compliance, so verify directly with your country’s regulator. In the U.S., check the websites of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for registered entities. 
• Independent reviews: Beyond testimonials or reviews on the platform, look for experiences on Reddit, Twitter, and crypto community forums. Scammers might seed fake positive reviews, so look for detailed negative experiences rather than just star ratings.
• Team transparency: Legitimate projects are run by real people whose professional backgrounds can be verified through LinkedIn, academic publications, or previous work. Note that AI-generated faces and bios are common in scams.
• Active audit reports: If a DeFi project claims to be audited, verify that the audit was performed by a reputable firm and read the report, not just the passed audit badge.
• Domain age and history: Use WHOIS lookup tools to check when a website’s domain was registered. Scam sites are often brand new, while legitimate platforms have longer operational histories.

Master Wallet Security Fundamentals

If you’re holding cryptocurrency or NFTs yourself rather than on an exchange, you’re personally responsible for security. Essential practices include:

• Use hardware wallets: These are physical devices such as Ledger or Trezor for significant holdings rather than software wallets on your computer or phone. Hardware wallets keep your private keys isolated from internet-connected devices, dramatically reducing risk.
• Store your seed phrase offline in multiple secure locations: This is the 12- to 24-word recovery phrase for your wallet. Write it on paper or stamp it on metal plates, never store it digitally in photos, cloud storage, or password managers.
• Never share your seed phrase or private keys: No legitimate support person will ever ask for these. If someone does, they’re attempting theft.
• Verify transaction details carefully before approving: Check that the recipient address, amount, and token type are exactly what you intend. Malware can change clipboard contents, so compare addresses character by character.
• Use a separate email account: Create a separate email address for your crypto activities, distinct from your day-to-day credentials, and enable two-factor authentication, preferably via authenticator apps rather than SMS.
• Be extremely skeptical: In the current environment, you should assume any new cryptocurrency token or NFT project is a scam until you’ve verified otherwise through sustained, careful research. 

Step 3: Respond Immediately If You’ve Been Scammed by Crypto and NFTs

Discovering you’ve been scammed is devastating, but taking immediate action could limit the damage and help law enforcement track and stop criminal operations:

Stop All Further Payments Immediately

Scammers often follow successful scams with additional pitches: recovery services usually run by the same criminals, tax payments supposedly required to unlock frozen funds, or claims that you’re so close to breaking even if you just invest a bit more. Every additional dollar you send is stolen money. Stop entirely.

Document Everything Comprehensively

Before anything disappears or times out, make sure to save:

• Screenshots of all conversations, transactions, and account dashboards
• Email messages, text messages, and voice messages
• Wallet addresses, transaction hashes, and blockchain records
• Platform URLs and any documents or contracts you signed
• Names, social media profiles, and phone numbers used by the scammers

This documentation is essential for law enforcement investigations and any potential recovery efforts.

Report to Multiple Authorities

While full recovery is rare, rapid reporting has occasionally allowed exchanges to freeze funds or helped international task forces seize assets before they’re fully laundered. Don’t expect miracles, but don’t assume recovery is impossible either.

Make formal reports to the:

• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): Even if your loss seems small compared to the billions reported annually, your complaint adds to the IC3 pattern analysis that helps identify and dismantle criminal networks.
• Federal Trade Commission: Complaints made to ReportFraud.ftc.gov feed into consumer protection initiatives and help identify trending scam tactics.
• Your exchange or wallet provider’s fraud team: If you used a legitimate platform for any part of the transaction, reporting the incident will enable your exchange or wallet to flag addresses or provide transaction data to investigators.
• Your local or state law enforcement: These agencies work with federal law enforcement, particularly if losses are substantial. 

Consider Professional Help for Significant Losses

If you’ve lost large sums, consider consulting with lawyers who specialize in cryptocurrency fraud or employing blockchain forensics firms that can trace funds across chains. 

Protect Yourself from Recovery Scams

After a crypto scam, many victims are approached by fake recovery specialists who claim they can get your money back for an upfront fee in, you guessed it, cryptocurrency. These are almost always the same criminals or their associates running a second scam. Legitimate legal professionals work on contingency or retainer, and will not ask victims to send cryptocurrency for recovery services.

Step 4: Install a Trusted Security Solution

Comprehensive cybersecurity solutions may not be a guaranteed shield against all fraud, but they serve as a critical layer that catches threats you might not spot in that moment. Solutions such as McAfee+ help block known phishing sites and warn you before you enter credentials or connect wallets to fraudulent platforms. They also help detect malware and keyloggers that capture your password and seed phrase keystrokes, take screenshots when you open wallet applications, or even replace destination addresses in your clipboard when you copy-paste. Antivirus and anti-malware tools continuously monitor for threats and help remove them before they can compromise your security.

A secure virtual private network (VPN) can protect your connection on public Wi-Fi networks or compromised routers, preventing man-in-the-middle attacks that might intercept your login credentials or transaction data.

Since many crypto scams begin with or lead to broader identity theft, identity monitoring services can alert you if your personal information, passwords, or financial details appear in data breaches or on dark web marketplaces. This early warning allows you to change compromised credentials before they’re exploited.

Final Thoughts

The rising number of crypto-related fraud incidents and losses represents a grim milestone. As long as these scams promise high returns and operate with minimal oversight, criminal organizations will continue developing new tactics to steal from investors. 

Going forward, your effective defense strategy will combine healthy skepticism, technical hygiene, continuous education, and practical tools. Approach any crypto investment opportunity with a questioning eye until you’ve independently verified that it is legitimate.

Maintain strong security practices, including using hardware wallets for significant holdings, storing seed phrases offline, enabling two-factor authentication everywhere, and carefully verifying transactions before approving.

Most importantly, build a network of trusted advisors, such as family members, friends, or financial professionals, who can offer guidance when you’re evaluating opportunities. Share what you’ve learned from this article and other McAfee guides with people in your life who might be exploring crypto investments, especially those who may be more vulnerable to relationship-based scams.

The post How to Spot a Crypto Scam: The Top Red Flags to Watch For appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Authored by Aayush Tyagi 

What McAfee Labs found 

McAfee Labs’ latest investigation into the WeedHack malware campaign found that the threat has continued to evolve even after its original command-and-control infrastructure was disrupted by McAfee. Researchers identified multiple active websites still distributing WeedHack to gamers, often by impersonating legitimate Minecraft clients, offering paid tools for free, or using trusted platforms to make malicious downloads appear credible. 

Among the findings: 

→ More than 6,300 attempts to access malicious sites were blocked by McAfee WebAdvisor in the past month. 

→ Researchers found lookalike gaming websites designed to closely replicate legitimate projects, including their branding, feature lists, FAQs, installation guides, developer credits, and links to genuine GitHub repositories. 

→ In one case, the top two Google results observed by researchers for a popular Minecraft client led to sites distributing WeedHack, demonstrating how SEO poisoning can put malicious downloads directly in gamers’ paths. 

→ Nearly half of the malicious URLs identified were Discord links (49.6%), followed by MediaFire (23.4%) and GitHub (8.2%), showing how attackers can use familiar platforms alongside fake websites to distribute malware. 

→ Researchers also identified a malicious site built using an AI-powered website creation platform, illustrating how readily available tools can make it easier to launch convincing new malicious sites. 

Threats like these show why protection needs to start before a malicious download ever reaches your device. McAfee helps block dangerous websites and downloads before malware has a chance to install, helping you stay focused on the game. 

Threats like these show why protection needs to start before a malicious download ever reaches your device. McAfee helps block dangerous websites and downloads before malware has a chance to install, helping you stay focused on the game. 

Background 

2026 has seen a significant shift in malware tactics, where traditional perimeter breaching techniques are being traded in for more elusive methods, such as AI-powered phishing and widespread deployment of Info-stealer malware. Over 560,000 new malware variants are detected every day, with infostealers accounting for the most active category.

McAfee Labs has also seen a significant spike in Malware-as-a-service (MaaS) campaigns, that offer their customers access to sophisticated infostealers and backdoor malware samples at minimal cost. These campaigns provide detailed tutorials to their customers, teaching them how to target popular gaming software, develop authentic-looking websites, and implement SEO Poisoning techniques in order to bamboozle gamers and infect their systems. 

Introduction 

Recently, McAfee Labs has covered a Malware-as-a-service campaign, called ‘Weedhack’ that infected over 116,464 gamers and utilized SEO Poisoning techniques to infect such a large user base.

Read the original article here: Game Over: WeedHack – The Rise of Minecraft Malware-as-a-Service Campaigns

While uncovering the depths of this campaign, we’ve encountered multiple websites and file hosting services that are still active and distributing WeedHack malware. In this article, we cover some of the most prominent examples we’ve encountered in the wild to educate our readers and provide key insights on how to identify and avoid such malicious websites.  

Note: This list is not exhaustive, and there may be additional websites that are not covered in this article.

Malicious websites spreading WeedHack 

During our investigation of this campaign, we observed that most of these websites appear legitimate, as they are well-crafted and often mimic legitimate websites. We observed a series of dedicated brand-impersonation attacks targeting several popular Minecraft clients. 

We published the original article in the first week of July, and, as a result, we’ve seen a disruption in WeedHack’s campaign: its C2 server is no longer active. Consequently, we have observed a shift in tactics by these attackers.  

The WeedHack Dashboard has been taken down, yet we’ve discovered websites that are actively spreading WeedHack malware.  

Out of these URLs, most belonged to file-hosting services:  

• 49.6% were Discord links 
• 23.4% were MediaFire links, 
• 8.2% were GitHub links 
• 4.6% were Dropbox links 

The remaining URLs were customer-facing websites designed to deceive users. 

In the last month, McAfee WebAdvisor has prevented more than 6,300 users from accessing these malicious websites. At the time of writing this blog, the following websites were still distributing WeedHack malware.  

 

This website ‘glazed-client.com’ replicates the original website called ‘glazedclient.com’. It provides a free and open-source Minecraft add-on called ‘Glazed Client’ designed specifically for DonutSMP server.  
 
The website contains a feature list, along with Archive, Credits, and FAQ sections, that are identical to those on the original website. 

Under the download section, the website provides three download options, and all of them are infected with WeedHack.  

This website has a GitHub link, which links to a legitimate GitHub repository in order to build trust with the visitors.  

Example 2 – radium-client.com 

 

The website ‘radium-client.com’ is replicating a legitimate website called ‘radiumclient.com’. The original website offers Minecraft client for $9.99 per month, but the malicious website offers the same tool for free.  

The malicious replica also has a detailed feature and download section. The downloaded JAR file is infected with WeedHack.  

In this instance, the malicious website contains a discord link, similar to the original website, but it points to a channel called ‘EasyClients’, that has over 1,900 members.  

This channel offers 7 different DonutSMP clients for free (Image 7, Highlighted in Red) which are also infected with WeedHack.  

Example 3 – seedcrackerx.github.io 

In this example, we see GitHub’s web hosting service ‘GitHub.io’ being exploited by attackers. Here they are impersonating ‘SeedCrackerX’ tool, which is a Minecraft seed cracking software capable of identifying the exact world seed used to generate a Minecraft world.  

Here, the malicious websites imitate the original website ‘seedcrackerx.com’, by replicating its fonts and color palette. The website also includes an elaborate tutorial and FAQ section, educating the visitors on how to properly install the tool. 

Under the download section, the website offers seven versions to choose from, but all of them are infected with WeedHack. (Highlighted in Red) 

This malicious website has also linked the genuine GitHub repository hosting the SeedCrackerX tool (Highlighted in Green), to appear more legitimate.  

Example 4 – xenoclient.lol and xenonclient.com 

Xenon Client is one of the most popular Minecraft Clients, known for being lightweight, community driven and offering niche vanilla-friendly utilities. Given its widespread popularity, this client is a prominent target for threat actors.

 

During our research, we identified that the top two Google search results for ‘Xenon Client’ directed users to websites (Highlighted in Red) that are spreading WeedHack.  

The “xenoclient.lol” website is particularly noteworthy, for the range of features and support it offers. The website includes comprehensive download and installation guides, as well as FAQ and Credits sections. Additionally, it lists the original Xenon Client GitHub repository and features a community section for like-minded gamers, further enhancing its professional appearance. 

It offers 2 purchase options for free and premium, where the premium version is listed for $5.  

The free option, on the other hand, offers six download options for the main client and six additional options for the client optimizer. At the time of writing, only one download link remains operational (highlighted in red), and it delivers a payload infected with WeedHack. 

Another website, “xenonclient.com,” is also targeting Minecraft players, luring them with a free version of the same client. 

Similar to other websites in the campaign, this site includes an installation guide and a feature list for the Xenon Client to enhance its apparent legitimacy.  

The final JAR file downloaded from this website infects users with WeedHack. 

Example 5 – nova-client.com 

Nova client is an open-source client designed for Minecraft Bedrock Edition.

 

This client is an easy target for attackers because it lacks an official website. The legitimate client is hosted on GitHub and Modrinth; however, attackers have created a spoofed website and leveraged SEO poisoning techniques to outrank the official sources in search results.  

This website also includes a Features page, installation guide, and FAQ section. In addition, it displays screenshots from the legitimate Nova Client to deceive users. 
 
What is interesting here is that attackers have also included a credits section, which is common with legitimate Minecraft client websites. However, they do not mention anyone who has actually worked on the project and instead used generic team names.  

The download section provides Nova Client for Minecraft 1.21.11, but the download file spreads WeedHack malware. 

Example 6 –  cheatlib.xyz 

CheatLib advertises that their clients have been downloaded over 1.6 million times, are free from malware and offers round-the-clock support.

 Similar to other such websites, it also features a setup guide and a FAQ section to address common user issues. 

They provide eight Minecraft Mods and inform users which Minecraft servers and anti-cheat systems they can bypass, as well as the current status of each mod.  

Although the website offers eight distinct mods, all eight files share the same hash and distribute the WeedHack payload. 

This website also links to a Discord channel called ‘CheatLib’ with over 220 users, which also provides access to WeedHack infected mods. 

Example 7 – meteorclients.com 

This malicious domain ‘meteorclients.com’ is impersonating a legitimate website ‘meteorclient.com’. They claim that this client has been downloaded over 10 million times and has over 15 thousand active users at any given time.  

The Team section contains the names of the legitimate Meteor Client developers, which appear to have been copied from the project’s official website, to create an appearance of authenticity.  

They also provide an interactive preview of Meteor client on the website, enabling users to test and familiarize themselves with the client. The website offers a single download option, which is infected with WeedHack. 

Example 8 – 22qq-client.com 

22qq-client is a Minecraft Mod for Crystal PVP servers.

This mod does not have a dedicated website, and attackers are exploiting this issue. This website is meant to serve as the official page for the client. 

The attackers attempt to establish credibility by using screenshots from the legitimate client.  

They also offer an interactive preview of the client to give users an overview of its functionality. This website provides multiple download buttons, but all of them download the same JAR file, which is infected with WeedHack. 

Example 9 – kryptonclientcrack.lovable.app 

Krypton Client is a paid Minecraft tool for DonutSMP server, hosted on ‘kryptonclient.org’. This malicious counterpart claims to offer a cracked version of the tool.  

The attackers have used an AI-powered tool called ‘lovable.app’ that allows customers to build and launch functional web applications and websites, using natural language. Such tools make it easier for attackers to deploy new malicious domains on the fly.  

The website claims that the tool has been downloaded more than five thousand times and has been thoroughly tested for safety. They offer a single download option, which is infected with WeedHack. 

Example 10 – File Hosting Services  

In the course of our investigation, we observed that multiple attackers were exploiting various file hosting services to spread malware. 

Links to these websites are then distributed via different communication channels, such as Discord, Reddit and other online platforms. 

We also observed that threat actors extended their targeting beyond Minecraft clients, compromising various popular and independent community websites within the Minecraft ecosystem.

At the time of this analysis, the following Planet Minecart links were spreading WeedHack malware. 

hxxps://static.planetminecraft.com/files/resource_media/mod/mousetweaks-fabric-mc1-21-9-2-29.jar 

hxxps://static.planetminecraft.com/files/resource_media/mod/no-delay-optimizer1-21-4.jar 

Similarly, we observed another community website, called EndMods was also targeted by WeedHack.

The following link is still active, at the time of publication, and is still spreading the WeedHack malware.  
hxxps://endmods.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/KRYPTON-CLIENT1.0.zip 

How To Protect Yourself Online 

At McAfee Labs, we investigate threats across the digital landscape, and gamers are a frequent target. We’ve seen multiple malware-as-a-service campaigns similar to WeedHack use fake downloads, impersonated websites, malicious mods, and other lures to target gaming communities. 

AI-powered tools can make it faster and easier for scammers to create convincing websites, imitate legitimate services, and launch new campaigns at scale. That makes it even more important to know what you’re downloading, and where it’s coming from. 

Here are a few ways gamers can stay safer: 

→ Stick to trusted sources. Download games, mods, clients, and other files from official developer websites or reputable mod platforms whenever possible. If you can’t verify the source, don’t download it. 

→ Never turn off your security software for a download. Be suspicious of any mod, cheat, or client that tells you to disable your antivirus or other protections before installing it. 

→ Scan files before opening them. Check downloaded mods, installers, and archives before running them — even if they came from a popular gaming community or website. 

→ Be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true. “Free” premium features, exclusive cheats, cracked software, or paid clients can be used as bait to convince gamers to download malware. 

→ Check the URL before you download. Scammers can create lookalike domains and convincing copies of legitimate gaming sites. Small changes in a web address can be a sign you’re on an impersonation site. 

→ Pay attention to security warnings. If your antivirus flags a download, don’t automatically assume it’s a false positive. Stop and investigate before allowing the file to run. 

→ Keep your devices and software updated. Install updates for your operating system, browser, games, and security software to help protect against known vulnerabilities. 

Indicator of Compromise(s)  

hxxps://glazed-client.com/

hxxps://github.com/Hl3n/GambleRigMod

hxxps://www.radium-client.com/

hxxps://discord.com/channels/1467145812906872834/

hxxps://seedcrackerx.github.io/

hxxps://github.com/seedcrackerx/seedcrackerx.github.io

hxxps://xenonclient.com/

hxxps://xenoclient.lol

hxxps://nova-client.com/

hxxps://cheatlib.xyz/

hxxps://discord.com/channels/1478170973755936990

hxxps://meteorclients.com

hxxp://22qq-client.com/

hxxps://kryptonclientcrack.lovable.app

hxxps://github.com/lsellh/

hxxps://static.planetminecraft.com/files/resource_media/mod/mousetweaks-fabric-mc1-21-9-2-29.jar

hxxps://static.planetminecraft.com/files/resource_media/mod/no-delay-optimizer1-21-4.jar

hxxps://endmods.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/KRYPTON-CLIENT1.0.zip

 

The post WeedHack Returns: How SEO Poisoning is Leading Minecraft Fans to Malware appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Have you ever visited a site that triggers a “your connection is not private” or “your connection is not secure” error message? Maybe you moved on. Or maybe you found yourself interested enough to continue anyway. Either way, understanding what the error means can keep you safer online. Knowing what the risks are and how you can clear up the error proves yet more important too. 

Let’s take a look. 

What Does “This Connection Is Not Private” Mean?

A “your connection is not private” error means that your browser can’t determine with certainty that a website has safe encryption protocols in place to protect your device and data. You can bump into this error on any device connected to the internet — a computer, smartphone, or tablet. 

Note that the “your connection is not private” error is Google Chrome’s phrasing. Other browsers might use “your connection is not secure” or some variation of that as the warning message. 

So, what exactly is going on when you see the “this connection is not private” error? 

For starters, the error is only a warning. It doesn’t mean any of your private info is compromised. A “your connection is not private” error means the website you were trying to visit doesn’t have an up-to-date SSL (secure sockets layer) security certificate. 

So, what’s an SSL? Think of it as a digital certificate that verifies the authenticity of a website. Further, it establishes an encrypted connection between your web browser and the website you’re visiting. As you can imagine, an SSL-protected site is vital when it comes to banking, shopping, or sending secure info online. 

You can spot an SSL-protected site by an address that begins with HTTPS, with the “S” standing for “secure.” Many browsers also drop a little padlock symbol in the address bar to call it out. Some have a button in the bar that you can select to see if the site is protected. 

Website owners must maintain the licensing regularly to ensure the site’s encryption capabilities are up to date. If a website’s SSL certificate is outdated, it means the site owners haven’t kept their encryption licensing current, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re up to no good. Even major websites have had momentary lapses that served up the message.  

While it doesn’t always mean a website is unsafe to browse, pay attention. Using a site without an SSL connection might make your personal data less secure. 

How To Fix The “Connection Is Not Private” Error

If you feel confident that a website or page is safe, despite the warning from your web browser, you can troubleshoot the issue a few ways: 

• Refresh the page. Sometimes, the error is only a momentary glitch. Try reloading the page to rule out temporary errors. 

• Close the browser and reopen it. Closing and reopening your web browser might also help clear a temporary glitch. 

• If you’re on public Wi-Fi, think twice. Hackers often exploit public Wi-Fi because their routers are usually not as secure or well-maintained for security. Some public Wi-Fi networks might not support SSL connections altogether. That might result in the error you’re seeing.  

• Make sure your browser and operating system are up to date. Always keep your critical software and the operating system fully updated. An outdated browser can start getting buggy and can increase the occurrence of this kind of error. 

• Check that you have the right website. Hackers and scammers often take advantage of misspellings or alternative URLs to try and snare users looking for trusted sites. Make sure you have the address and the site absolutely right. 

• If it’s not you, it’s them. If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting techniques above and you still see the error, the problem is likely coming from the site itself. You’ll have the option to “proceed to the domain,” though we don’t recommend it. The bottom line is that you take your chances anytime you ignore an error like this. 

How To Protect Your Privacy While Online

Personal info like yours is valuable to hackers, so they take every chance they can to get their hands on it. Beyond sticking to visiting secure websites, you have several other ways you can protect yourself online. 

• Online protection software offers the best line of protection, hands down. Today’s software like our McAfee+ plans protects more than your devices. It protects you — your identity and privacy. 

• Use strong, unique passwords across all your accounts. A password manager like ours can do the hard work for you. 

• Delete unused browser extensions (and apps) to reduce your risk. The more apps you have, the more exposure you have to exploits and attacks. Moreover, out-of-date apps can have security loopholes in them. If you’re not using it, delete it, along with any data you have. 

• Delete old accounts that still have your info. As it is with apps and browser extensions, the more you keep, the more exposure you have — in this case, to data breaches that can put your personal info in the hands of a hacker. A service like our Online Account Cleanup can identify and shut down those old accounts for you. 

• Use a VPN as you go online. A VPN like ours creates a secure tunnel that encrypts your data as you go online, shielding it from hackers and other bad actors out there. Plus, it can hide your personal info from third parties that want to collect and track it. 

• Share less personal and private info on social media. Scammers and hackers can take full advantage of public profiles on social media. Public profiles offer them a goldmine of info that they use for romance scams, investment scams, tax scams, and more. You can lock down your privacy on social media in just a few clicks with our Social Privacy Manager. 

• Remove your personal info from sketchy data broker sites that sell it to anyone for a price. That includes everyone from advertisers to hackers, scammers, and spammers. Our Personal Data Cleanup scans data broker sites and shows you which ones are selling your personal info — and can help you remove it. 

The post What Does “Connection is Not Private” Mean? appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Last spring, Sarah Chen opened what looked like a routine message from her bank. The email had the right logo, a professional tone, and even addressed her by name. But within minutes of clicking a link and entering her credentials, her checking account was emptied. The sender’s address appeared perfect, but it was one letter off.

Sarah’s story isn’t unique. In the first three quarters of 2025, cyber incident response company Zensec reported that about 3.4 billion phishing emails were sent every day across the globe. Meanwhile, Google blocks over 100 million phishing emails every day, yet many still reach email users. Meanwhile, in a 2025 U.S. survey, the Pew Research Center revealed that 61% of adults received scam emails at least weekly in 2025.

Scams have become sophisticated, using AI to craft convincing messages that are nearly impossible to distinguish from legitimate ones. In this guide, we’ll explore how to protect yourself from phishing scams, recognize the latest tactics, and use strategies to keep your inbox, your personal information, and your money safe.

What Is a Phishing Scam?

Phishing scams are deceptive messages that pretend to be a trusted source to trick you into revealing sensitive information or installing malware. These scams often appear to come from trusted entities such as banks, employers, or popular brands and try to trick you into clicking a malicious link, downloading harmful attachments, or providing confidential information such as login credentials, financial details, or personal data.

Modern campaigns are polished, personalized, and timed to feel routine, which is why blocking them, not just spotting them, has become essential.

Types of Phishing Scams

Phishing scams come in various forms, each tailored to exploit different communication channels. The most common types include:

• Email Phishing: These scams arrive in your inbox, often disguised as messages from trusted organizations like banks, retailers, or employers. They may include links to fake websites, requests for sensitive information, or malicious attachments.
• Text Message Phishing (Smishing): Delivered via SMS, these “smishing” messages often claim to be urgent alerts about your accounts, packages, or payments. They include links to fraudulent websites or prompts to reply with personal information.
• Phone Call Phishing (Vishing): Scammers impersonate legitimate representatives over the phone, asking for sensitive details under the guise of resolving an issue or confirming account information. This is called “Vishing”.
• Social Media Phishing: Fake profiles or direct messages on platforms like Facebook or Instagram trick users into sharing personal information or clicking harmful links.

How Do Phishing Scams Work?

Phishing scams rely on social engineering with technical evasion. Here’s how they typically unfold:

• The Hook: Scammers craft a message designed to grab your attention—often using urgency, fear, or curiosity.
• The Bait: The message includes a link, attachment, or request that appears legitimate but is designed to deceive. On the back end, they use look‑alike domains, spoofed sender names, and hosting that shifts quickly to avoid detection.
• The Trap: Once you click the link or provide information, the scammer gains access to your accounts, data, or even your device.

Your email provider runs multiple layers of defense on every incoming message. These include domain authentication checks, IP reputation tracking, and content analysis that evaluates sender history, wording patterns, and link destinations to produce a risk score. If a server has been sending spam or phishing messages, messages from that source are more likely to be filtered for everyone.

Despite these controls, advanced phishing still slips through. Generative AI helps criminals craft messages with perfect grammar and formatting. Data from previous breaches lets them insert real names, addresses, and partial account details. The result feels normal and urgent at the same time, which increases the chance of a click.

Email Phishing Scams Examples

Phishing emails come in many forms, each tailored to exploit specific vulnerabilities. Below are some of the most prevalent and dangerous examples of modern phishing tactics:

Example 1: AI-Assisted Phishing Scams

Gone are the days of poorly worded emails riddled with typos. Most scammers now use Generative AI tools to create emails that are indistinguishable from legitimate communications. These messages feature:

• Perfect grammar and spelling
• Appropriate formatting
• Accurate logos and branding
• Contextually appropriate tone and language.

When a message reads exactly like something your bank, your boss, or Amazon would actually send, content-based filters struggle because there are no obvious red flags to catch.

Example 2: QR Code Phishing

Scammers have discovered a clever way to bypass traditional email filters: by embedding malicious links in a QR code. This new phishing technique, called quishing, has exploded in popularity since email filters are often unable to scan the content of an image. In Q2 2025 alone, the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) detected over 635,000 unique malicious quishing codes impacting 1,642 different brands. The attacks climbed to more than 716,000 by Q3. When you scan the QR code, you think you’re accessing a legitimate shipping update or payment portal, but suddenly, you’re on an attacker-controlled site entering your credentials.

Example 3: Multi-Factor Authentication Bypass Phishing Scams

Criminals have developed man-in-the-middle methods to defeat even multi-factor authentication by creating websites that look identical to real login pages. When you enter your password and complete your multi-factor authentication challenge, the website captures everything in real time and immediately uses it to access your actual account. These attacks work because you’re technically completing real authentication steps, just on the wrong site.

Example 4: Personalized Phishing Scams

When companies such as healthcare providers or financial institutions suffer data breaches, it’s the consumers’ personal information that ends up in criminal databases. Scammers then use your data to craft a second wave of phishing campaigns with your actual name, partial account numbers, addresses, or even recent purchase history. Since traditional spam filters haven’t yet caught up to match these highly personal and relevant spam patterns, it’s harder to distinguish real from fake without additional tools and verification steps.

How to Recognize Modern Phishing Scams

Modern phishing is designed to look routine, but small inconsistencies still give it away. Here are some telltale signs to watch for:

• Urgency: Messages that demand immediate action, such as “Your account will be locked in 24 hours.”
• Suspicious Links or Sender Details: Sender details that are close but not exact. Hover over links to check their destination before clicking. Legitimate URLs should match the sender’s domain.
• Generic Greetings: Be wary of emails that address you as “Dear Customer” instead of using your name.
• Unexpected Attachments: Avoid opening attachments from unknown or unverified senders, especially from senders who rarely send files.
• Requests to verify an account: Messages that ask you to verify, confirm, or fix an account through a link or a QR code rather than through the official site or app.

How to Prevent Phishing Scams

Your actions shape how phishing reaches you and how well your email filters improve over time. Simple habits can reduce your exposure, and technical protections can block phishing attempts before they reach you.

Everyday Habits That Help You Avoid Phishing Scams

Even small changes in how you interact with email can dramatically lower your risk. These everyday habits help you recognize suspicious messages and avoid common phishing traps:

Use the Verification Rule to Spot Phishing Scams Before You Click

Make this your new personal policy: Never click links or attachments directly from an unsolicited or unexpected email. Always go to the website yourself via a bookmark or typed address. Bookmark the login pages for your bank, credit card companies, and other financial services. When you receive an email saying there’s a problem with your account, close the email and use your bookmark instead.

Report Phishing Emails and Train Your Filter

This is one of the most powerful steps you can take. When you mark an email as spam or phishing rather than just deleting it, you teach the filter what malicious messages look like and improve future blocking, not just for you but for everyone using that email service. Clicking “Report Spam” contributes to a global defense system. You could also contact the official organization using a trusted method, forward phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, and report them to the Federal Trade Commission. This reporting improves filters for everyone and helps law enforcement track criminal operations. Delete the message after reporting it.

Does marking as phishing scam block future emails?

When you mark an email as phishing, your provider uses that feedback to block similar emails in the future, for both you and other users.

Use Separate Email Addresses

Having different emails for different purposes dramatically reduces exposure. Consider maintaining three email addresses: one for important accounts such as banking, government, and healthcare, another for shopping and commercial subscriptions, and a third one for miscellaneous signups and newsletters you don’t care much about. When your designated shopping email receives a message claiming to be from your bank, you immediately know it’s fake.

Consider Email Aliases

This service, offered by many providers, lets you create multiple addresses that all deliver to one inbox, giving you the organizational benefits without juggling multiple accounts. You can even set up filters to automatically sort incoming messages based on which alias received them.

Top Solutions for Blocking Phishing Scams

Your email and devices already include powerful security features; you just need to turn them on. These technical solutions work automatically in the background to block harmful messages and stop threats before they cause damage.

Turn on Inbox Security Settings

Your email account itself is often the “master key” to your digital life. Open your email settings and look for options such as “safe links,” “safe browsing,” “enhanced spam protection,” or “phishing protection.” These features exist in most major email services but aren’t always enabled by default. Gmail users should check under Settings → See all settings → Filters and Blocked Addresses. Outlook users should visit Settings → Mail → Junk email. Five minutes of configuration provides ongoing protection.

Verify your device protection is active

Whether you use McAfee, built-in device protection, or another security solution, check that it’s running and up to date. Open the application and look for a status indicator showing real-time protection is enabled. If you see any warnings or update prompts, address them immediately. This protection catches threats that slip past your email filters in case you accidentally click a malicious link.

Turn on Two-Factor Authentication

Two- or multi-factor authentication (2FA or MFA) means that even if a phishing attack captures your password, criminals still can’t access your account without a second verification factor sent to your phone or generated by an authenticator app. Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and other major providers all offer robust 2FA or MFA options in security settings.

Enable Security Alerts

When someone tries to access your account from a new device or a different country, you’ll receive an immediate notification. This early warning lets you secure your account before any damage occurs.

Set up Custom Email Filters and Rules

Most email services allow you to create custom filters and rules for common red-flag keywords or phrases such as “urgent action required,” “verify your account,” “suspended account,” “unusual activity,” or “confirm your identity.” You could also add suspicious domains to your blocked senders list. Another way to filter emails is to unsubscribe from newsletters you never read. Every legitimate marketing email should have an “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom.

Combine Email Security with Browser and Device Protections

Email security isn’t just about your inbox. Blocking phishing at the browser level is a critical second line of defense. Modern versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all scan known malicious sites. When you click a phishing link from an email, your browser often shows a warning before letting you proceed. Consider installing reputable web filtering services that block known malicious domains from loading, even if you click the link. Just as importantly, keep your operating system and security software up to date to ensure you benefit from new threat intelligence and improved detection of emerging phishing techniques.

What to Do If You Fall for a Phishing Scam

If you realize you may have clicked a malicious link or shared information with a phishing site, take action right away. Here’s what to do:

1. Disconnect Your Device: Immediately disconnect your device from the internet to prevent further data theft or malware spread. If possible, power it down until you can assess the situation.
2. Change Compromised Passwords: Immediately update the passwords for any accounts that may have been compromised. Use strong, unique passwords for each account.
3. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Add an extra layer of security to your accounts by enabling MFA wherever possible. This makes it harder for attackers to gain access, even if they have your password.
4. Notify Affected Institutions: Contact your bank, email provider, or any other relevant organization to report the breach. They can help secure your accounts and monitor for suspicious activity.
5. Run a Malware Scan: Use trusted antivirus or anti-malware software to scan your device for any malicious programs that may have been installed during the attack. Ensure the software is up to date.
6. Monitor Your Accounts: Keep a close eye on your financial and online accounts for unauthorized transactions or changes. Consider setting up alerts for added vigilance.

Report the Scam

Report the phishing attack to relevant authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG). This helps prevent others from falling victim to the same scam.

Final Thoughts

Phishing will continue to evolve as criminals keep finding new techniques. But you now know where your protection comes from: built-in filters, your email provider’s technology, and smart email habits.

Relying exclusively on your email provider’s built-in protection, however, may leave gaps that modern phishing campaigns can exploit. Adding reliable security software, such as McAfee+, can provide you with additional layers of defense. McAfee offers web protection that checks links in real time, as well as real-time attachment and download scanning that analyzes files for malware. Meanwhile, our scam protection features help you detect threats across multiple channels, including email, texts, social platforms, and even risky QR codes. Identity protection also helps you recognize and respond to phishing attacks that lead to credential theft or misuse of personal information.

These solutions work automatically, implementing complex protections in the background as soon as you set them up. McAfee is committed to innovating its solutions so that we can keep track of new phishing tricks and update your defenses automatically.

The post How to Protect Yourself From Phishing Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Authored by Neil Tyagi

Executive Summary 

McAfee Advanced Threat Research has identified an active browser-extension campaign designed to steal cryptocurrency by silently substituting wallet addresses the moment a user initiates a transaction. The campaign is delivered through unsigned installers — observed in both .NET and Golang variants — that deploy a malicious Chromium extension masquerading as a benign “Google Notes” utility.  

This campaign is related to a previous blog published by McAfee Labs, Sinkholing CountLoader: Insights into Its Recent Campaign, as the threat actor appears to be the same behind both operations. In that earlier research, we analyzed a crypto clipper payload that was injected directly into memory. Here, we examine a different variant of the final-stage payload: a browser-based malicious extension designed to intercept and manipulate cryptocurrency transactions.  

In this report, we detail how the extension operates and provide a technical analysis of the mechanisms that make this threat particularly unique. The extension behaves as a clipboard-aware crypto clipper: it monitors copy-and-paste activity, identifies wallet addresses across multiple blockchains, and swaps them for attacker-controlled addresses just before the victim pastes the content. Because most Blockchain transactions are irreversible, even a single uninterrupted execution is enough to cause permanent financial loss. 

Two characteristics elevate this campaign above the typical clipper threat: 

1. Chromium trust-layer abuse. The installer secretly forces a malicious browser extension into Chromium-based browsers like Google Chrome, Brave, and Microsoft Edge by modifying protected browser settings files. Normally, these browsers store security verification data (hash/HMAC values) alongside sensitive settings to detect unauthorized changes. The malware recalculates and updates these security values after tampering with the files, tricking the browser into believing the malicious extension was installed legitimately. This allows the extension to bypass the normal extension web store installation process and load silently without user approval. However for updated Chrome and edge browser, Victim must manually turn on the developer mode for the extension to load properly, but people with outdated versions of chromium based browsers, remain at high risk. Moreover, for latest versions as well threat attacker can employ social engineering tactics to enable developer mode.
2. Blockchain-resolved command-and-control. The extension does not contain a hardcoded C2 domain. Instead, it queries a public blockchain RPC endpoint, invokes a read-only smart-contract method, and decodes the response at runtime to reveal its active C2 observed at the time of analysis as Zebregts[.]com 

   This technique, often referred to as “EtherHiding,” complicates takedown efforts because the attacker can rotate infrastructure by updating a smart-contract value rather than redeploying malware. 

McAfee telemetry indicates a globally distributed infection footprint with a pronounced concentration in India. The breadth of the geography suggests opportunistic targeting of consumer cryptocurrency users rather than a region-specific operation. 

Geographical Prevalence  

Telemetry analysis indicates that infections are globally distributed, with a significantly higher concentration observed in India compared to other regions.  

The widespread geographic presence highlights the campaign’s broad reach, suggesting opportunistic targeting rather than a region-specific attack. 

The Malicious Extension: “Google Notes” 

This malware is masquerading as a seemingly harmless Google Notes extension. 

 

The dropped extension presents as a minimalist, legitimate-looking note-taking application branded as “Google Notes,” complete with a clean icon and a functional (& simplistic) user interface.  

The cover is calculated: a user who manually opens the extension finds something that behaves as advertised, dampening suspicion. The extension’s malicious logic is implemented in background service-worker scripts and content scripts that operate entirely out of view of the UI. 

A major red flag first appears when adding the extension, which requests  security permissions and access that are disproportionate to a typical notes application: 

• Access to all URLs , granting content-script injection into every site the user visits. 
• Browsing history access. 
• Read and write access to the clipboard. 

Mitigation and Recommendations 

For Consumers 

1. Before confirming any cryptocurrency transaction, visually verify the first and last six characters of the recipient address against the original source — ideally on a separate device. This single habit defeats the overwhelming majority of clipper attacks. 
2. Install browser extensions exclusively from the official Chrome Web Store, Edge Add-ons store, or equivalent. An extension that appears in your installed list without a clear memory of having installed it should be treated as suspicious. 
3. Review the permissions granted to every installed extension. A note-taking tool has no legitimate need for access to all websites, browsing history, or the clipboard. 
4. Avoid running unsigned executables obtained from non-authoritative sources, particularly those offering free or cracked versions of paid software — a common delivery vector for this category of installer. 
5. Keep endpoint protection up to date and enabled; McAfee customers are protected against this specific campaign as described below. 

McAfee security solutions help safeguard users at multiple levels: 

1. McAfee detects this threat as CryptoStealer.NE and keeps our customers safe 

2. Malicious Download Protection

The installer’s behavior—downloading and executing remote payloads—is flagged and blocked by McAfee before infection completes. All the malicious domains and URLs are blocked by McAfee in our tests. 

3. Network Protection

Connections to known malicious infrastructure (C2 servers) are blocked by McAfee, preventing Wallet address retrieval 

4. Real-Time Threat Intelligence

Because this threat was identified in McAfee telemetry, protections can be rapidly deployed to: 

• Block similar variants 
• Detect related infrastructure 
• Protect customers globally 

How The Threat Campaign Works 

What the Malware Does  

1. Installs a browser extension silently (web extension sideloading) 
2. Monitors what you copy and paste (especially crypto addresses) 
3. Works when you are making a crypto transaction 
4. Silently replaces the wallet address with the attacker’s address 
5. Your funds are sent to the attacker instead of the intended recipient 

Because cryptocurrency transactions are typically non-reversible, victims may permanently lose funds. 

 

Key Capabilities Identified 

1. Silent Extension Installation 

The malware does not use the official browser store. Instead, it directly modifies browser files to make the extension appear installed. (Sideloading Browser Extension) 

This bypasses normal security prompts and user awareness. 

2. Full Browser Access 

The malicious extension requests excessive permissions such as: 

• Access to all websites 
• Reading browsing history 
• Reading and modifying clipboard content 

3. Crypto Address Interception

The extension contains logic to detect wallet addresses across multiple cryptocurrencies, including: 

• The fallback wallet addresses shown in the code are not used for every transaction; instead, they serve as a backup mechanism when dynamic address retrieval from the attacker-controlled server fails.  
• Under normal operation, the extension fetches replacement addresses from a remote server, enabling dynamic and potentially per-victim wallet assignment.  
• Fallback addresses ensure the attack remains functional even if the command-and-control infrastructure is temporarily unavailable or blocked. 

• This function is responsible for obtaining the attacker-controlled replacement wallet address corresponding to a victim’s original address.  
• It sends the intercepted wallet address to the attacker backend and uses the response to dynamically substitute the original address.  
• If the backend request fails, the function falls back to a predefined hardcoded wallet address, ensuring uninterrupted malicious activity. 
• 3J98t1Wxxxx is the address that was copied in the clipboard 

4. Detection evasion and stealth 

• The configuration includes a hardcoded API key, which is used by the extension to authenticate communication with attacker-controlled infrastructure.  
• An RPC URL pointing to a public blockchain node is leveraged to dynamically resolve backend server information, allowing the attacker to hide critical infrastructure behind decentralized systems.  
• The presence of a smart contract address and method indicates that the malware retrieves its command-and-control (C2) domain indirectly via blockchain queries, making takedown and tracking more difficult. 
• Blacklisted domains contains a list of blockchain inspection related websites where the web extension will not work , this is done to not alert the victim while he is trying to paste his own address and view the balance of his wallet or inspect his wallet transactions 

• Dynamic analysis revealed that the malware resolves its command-and-control domain via a blockchain smart contract, which returned the domain devops-offensive[.]cc at runtime.  
• The response from the blockchain is decoded at runtime, revealing the active C2 domain (devops-offensive.cc).  
• This domain is not hardcoded, enabling the attacker to update infrastructure without modifying the malware.  
• The resolved domain is cached locally to maintain persistence and reduce repeated network queries. 

This Long–encoded string is decoded using this function to give the final attacker domain.

Persistence and Evasion Techniques 

The campaign’s persistence and evasion posture is deliberate and layered. The operator has clearly optimized for two properties: low visibility to the end user, and high resilience against takedown and static analysis. 

Persistence 

• Extension registration through Secure Preferences tampering ensures the extension loads on every subsequent browser launch without requiring any auxiliary Windows persistence mechanism — no registry Run keys, scheduled tasks, or services that endpoint hunters typically inspect. 
• Developer mode is enabled programmatically where required, allowing unpacked extensions to persist without triggering the periodic “unpacked extensions warning” flow that Chromium displays to dissuade sideloading. 
• The cached C2 domain allows the extension to continue operating against a known-good backend even if the blockchain RPC endpoint is briefly unavailable. 

Evasion 

• The extension’s visible identity — a simple “Google Notes” note-taking application — provides plausible cover against casual inspection of the installed extensions list. 
• Recomputed HMAC values satisfy Chromium’s integrity verification, avoiding the “extension installed by an unknown source” warning banner that would otherwise alert the user. 
• The installer self-deletes after execution, removing the most obvious on-disk indicator of initial compromise. 
• C2 resolution through a public blockchain means that there is no persistent C2 domain observable in the malware bundle itself; network-based detections built against hardcoded indicators will not fire until the domain is resolved and contacted. 
• Multi-language installer variants (.NET and Golang) reduce the effectiveness of compile-artifact and binary-feature signatures. 
• Per-address dynamic wallet substitution means that published attacker addresses age rapidly and do not generalize into durable blocklist entries — the defender must block the backend service itself, not the addresses it dispenses. 

Wallet Substitution Logic 

The clipper logic sits in two layers: a content-script layer that monitors clipboard activity and DOM input fields across every visited origin, and a background layer that communicates with the attacker backend to retrieve replacement addresses. 

When the extension observes a copy event, it applies a set of cryptocurrency-specific regular expressions to the clipboard payload. If a match is found, the intercepted address is transmitted to the attacker’s backend over an authenticated request (authenticated with the API key embedded in the configuration). The backend responds with a replacement address specific to the submitted original, and that replacement is written back to the clipboard, overwriting the legitimate address before the victim can paste. 

Testing against a reconstructed backend client — built by re-implementing the extension’s request format and response-decoding logic in Python — produced a revealing behavioural profile: 

• Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, and Dash: Each submitted address is mapped to a unique attacker-controlled address. Re-submitting the same original returns the same replacement, indicating a deterministic one-to-one mapping maintained server-side. 
• Solana: All submitted addresses collapse to a single attacker address, suggesting the per-victim mapping feature is selectively implemented per chain 

Analyzing Attacker Crypto Wallets 

Based on the code snippets from the web extension responsible for retrieving replacement addresses, a Python script was prepared to programmatically extract attacker wallet addresses. The payload was crafted using the attacker’s own code, and the “get replacement address” snippet was lifted directly from it. The attacker’s logic for decoding data received from the C2 server was also faithfully reimplemented in the script. 

The script was then executed using a few test Bitcoin (BTC) wallet addresses. The results showed that for every Bitcoin address provided, a unique Bitcoin address was returned in response, and all of these returned addresses were valid BTC wallets. This indicates that for every BTC address supplied, the attacker dynamically generates a new wallet tied to that specific input address. Furthermore, when the same address was provided again, the same BTC address was returned — confirming that each victim BTC address is deterministically mapped to a single, specific attacker-controlled address. While some of these attacker wallets contained funds and others were empty, the unknown total number of attacker wallets makes it difficult to put a reliable estimate on how much cryptocurrency has been stolen overall. 

The same behavior was observed for Ethereum, where different wallet addresses were returned for each input. Interestingly, when the script was tested with Solana addresses, only a single address was returned regardless of how many different inputs were provided. This suggests that the attacker has implemented the per-address mapping feature only for specific cryptocurrencies, while others fall back to a single static drop wallet. Because the Solana address is shared across all victims, a noticeable bump in its balance is visible. Additionally, one of the Ethereum addresses uncovered was found to be holding approximately 1,902 USD worth of funds. 

In summary, the cryptocurrencies for which unique per-victim wallet addresses are generated include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, and Dash. 

Running script with few test Bitcoin Wallet addresses 

Luckily for Solana we are getting only 1 address when given multiple addresses. This shows that the attacker has implemented this address mapping feature only on specific cryptocurrencies 

Technical Analysis for .net file (Extension installer) 

 

• The malware embeds a complete configuration JSON directly within the binary, eliminating the need to fetch initial setup data from external sources.  
• This embedded configuration includes critical details such as API keys, backend server URL, targeted wallet extensions, and the full extension manifest with extensive permissions.  

• The installer retrieves and validates a remote ZIP archive (google-services[.]cc/base[.]zip), which serves as the primary payload for deploying the malicious browser extension, marking the transition from initial infection to browser-level compromise. 

• The installer iterates through multiple Chromium-based browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Brave, identifying available user profiles on the system.  
• For each detected profile, the malware forcibly terminates the browser process to safely modify configuration files without interference.  
• It then injects the malicious extension by directly modifying Secure Preferences and Preferences, enabling the extension to be loaded without user interaction. 

• The malware identifies browser installation paths by querying standard system directories, enabling it to locate user data folders for Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Brave.  
• It systematically enumerates browser profiles and specifically looks for the presence of the Secure Preferences file, which stores critical browser configuration and extension data.  
• By targeting profiles with Secure Preferences, the malware ensures it modifies only valid browser environments, increasing the reliability of extension injection. 

• The malware reads and modifies the browser’s Secure Preferences file, which controls installed extensions and their trust state.  
• It injects the malicious extension into the configuration and attempts to re-sign the modified data, making the changes appear legitimate to the browser’s integrity checks.  
• The updated configuration is then written back to disk, ensuring the extension is loaded automatically and persists across browser restarts. 

• For browsers such as Brave and Opera, the malware injects the malicious extension directly into the browser’s configuration by adding entries under the extensions.settings (or extensions.opsettings) section.  
• It also updates integrity-related fields (protection.macs) to make the injected extension appear trusted by the browser.  
• Additionally, the malware attempts to enable developer mode programmatically, allowing unpacked extensions to run with fewer restrictions. 

• The malware attempts to recompute browser integrity signatures by generating new MAC (Message Authentication Code) values for the modified Secure Preferences file.  
• It uses system-specific identifiers, such as the machine SID, combined with a seed value to mimic Chrome’s internal verification mechanism.  
• By recalculating these integrity checks (macs and super_mac), the malware tries to make its unauthorized modifications appear legitimate to the browser. 

• The malware includes a self-deletion mechanism designed to remove the installer executable after successful execution.  
• It launches a hidden command prompt process that delays execution briefly before deleting the original file from disk. 

Conclusion 

This campaign is a concise illustration of where consumer-targeted cryptocurrency theft is heading. The operator has taken the oldest and simplest category of crypto malware — the clipper — and quietly upgraded three of its weakest links. Static attacker addresses have been replaced with a server-side, per-victim mapping. Fragile, hardcoded command-and-control domains have been replaced with a blockchain-resolved lookup that an operator can rotate with a single transaction. And a fragile dropper has been replaced with a Chromium extension that lives inside the user’s most trusted application, loaded under the browser’s own integrity signature. 

McAfee will continue to track this campaign and related infrastructure. Our customers are protected by existing detections and will benefit from telemetry-driven updates as new variants and rotated infrastructure are identified. 

Indicators of Compromise (IOC)

Type	Category	Value
SHA-256	.NET Installer (BaseZipInstaller)	2735e12030c195fb5454e4736c51b55b59664b93cae9f4bd5317afcd9c2af0bf  053620962047f50a91c6e8d1a6519eccc41fab51473f033086b4d816abe8bcb0
SHA-256	Golang-compiled Installer Variant	11be4c47ff049322de41743f62544cafd32d67e24ad653b7ebedf8ebd63e0962    1432393691b415d0cd4680d9cee73e60896fbe63300d9f0355c96e91817e4b1d
URL	Payload distribution	hxxps://google-services[.]cc/base[.]zip
Domain	Command-and-Control (resolved via smart contract)	devops-offensive[.]cc  Zebregts[.]com
BTC wallet	Crypto wallet	3JvDBvKbS6YYMKjV3R9e9Zfd67f467fNLy  1BbhVBxpniuZuAL1gGZnEMdQhmz9JGWpyT  3AcPNVh7NyESwX3ECymy3rkdH4Ke2c26Tj  1BVTrB47erypG3tevi1U9Fv6BbNUBEiuiX
Artifact	Sideload target	Chromium Secure Preferences file (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera profiles)
Extension files	manifest.json   crypto-patterns.js    Interceptor.js    content-script.j     cache.js     domain-resolver.js    service-worker.js    api-client.js	ed2599d6a8f30d5eaf14ad7f855aece0acdf7efa4a148eb18e4d9f0d8e2cd90c   daf82c67e8e5df6bbd5370172ac9374aa7dce48af05496e8ec3dba7b602c619b   6eb2f07265dd95cacd39dfcf0705786b97f3e173cf4e9b3dfe7bad141c9a9dd5    a2ffdbedc5c9f5400a2b1cf5d35f5ec1df06a74d0345f1035bcf75d36ed73e01     eb84ba4a0cd95655a021865d4fec93ae3393f86cc9848810ed0b49035b1c5e2c   6aaba685669d779ef8be8f7f4231096cfafd0ef386f3897c5e2106c177724fc8     2599064901308a97540af29197ed0b38702bbee38d6dbbfa61cf9eb5878353f3   ab450927b37e1b68e2be68832c354ac600e86e2545a904d4ca0ea283f2600cc2

The post Silent Swap: A Crypto Clipper Extension Campaign appeared first on McAfee Blog.

You post an opinion about a contentious issue on social media. Within hours, strangers have shared your home address, your employer’s phone number, and photos of your children’s school. Your inbox floods with threats. Someone calls your workplace demanding that you be fired. A crowd shows up outside your house. What started as online speech has become a safety crisis that follows you everywhere. You’ve been doxed.

If you’re looking for real answers about how to prevent doxxing before it happens or how to respond if you’re already facing harassment, this guide provides actionable strategies to lock down your digital footprint and protect your personal information. 

Key Takeaways

• Protect yourself from doxxing by reducing exposed data on social media, data broker sites, and public records
• Secure your accounts with strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and privacy-focused security tools like a VPN or antivirus protection
• Platform-specific strategies help prevent doxxing on Discord, Twitter, and other high-risk spaces
• If you’ve been doxxed, act immediately to document everything, remove content, and involve authorities when threats escalate

What Is Doxing?

Doxxing (sometimes spelled doxing) is the act of publicly exposing someone’s personal information online without their consent. Doxxing is often intended to harass, intimidate, or cause real‑world harm. This information can include a home address, phone number, workplace, family details, or other identifying data.

For a foundational understanding of what doxxing is, why it’s escalating, real‑world examples, and how the law treats doxxing, see our full guide on what is doxxing.

How Do People Get Doxxed? 

Your digital footprint is a jigsaw puzzle spread across the internet, with each piece alone being harmless: a tagged photo here, a WHOIS domain record there, a mention of your hometown in an old forum post. Doxers piece together these fragments using open-source intelligence techniques like reverse image searches, username lookups, and metadata analysis.

Much of the information used in doxing also comes from data brokers, which aggregate public records and purchased data sets. Plus, there are information leaks from data breaches: billions of stolen email addresses, passwords, and personal details circulating on dark web forums.

That data can be cross-referenced with your online purchases, domain registrations, avatars, usernames, and even your writing style. Then there’s what you share and what others share about you on social media. In effect, you are leaving a trail of breadcrumbs every time you interact online. 

Taken together, all these pieces create a detailed profile that doxers weaponize. Once they have your information, they post it on social media, anonymous forums, or dedicated harassment sites along with inflammatory language urging others to contact you.

Campaigns are coordinated across platforms, escalating from online harassment to email and text message threats, and sometimes physical confrontations or swatting attempts that put you in immediate danger.

How to Protect Yourself From Doxing

You shouldn’t have to make yourself invisible online, but you can significantly reduce the information available to potential doxers and make yourself a harder target. Here’s what to do:

Lock Down Your Social Media Accounts

Starting with your social media accounts, go through your privacy settings on every platform you use and maximize protection:

Immediate actions:

• Set all accounts to private or restrict visibility to friends/followers only
• Hide your friend lists, location data, and tagged photos from public view
• Remove personal details like phone numbers, email addresses, birth dates, and hometown from your profile
• Disable location services and strip metadata from photos before posting
• Turn off check-ins and location tagging features

Audit Your Digital History:

• Search your own name and review what appears publicly
• Delete or edit old posts that mention your home address, children’s schools, or exact workplace
• Ask family and friends not to tag you in posts that reveal your location or personal details
• Review and untag yourself from photos that expose identifying information

Platform-Specific Settings:

• Facebook: Restrict who can see your friends list, past posts, and profile information; disable facial recognition; review tags before they appear on your profile
• Instagram: Make your account private, disable activity status, restrict comments, and carefully review follower requests before accepting
• Twitter/X: Protect your tweets, disable photo tagging, hide sensitive content behind warnings, and enable two-factor authentication on a separate device
• Discord: Use a unique username not tied to other accounts, disable DMs from non-friends, never share your Discord tag publicly, and avoid voice chat in public servers where your voice can be recorded

Remove Your Data from People-Finder Data Broker Sites

Data brokers are companies that mine the internet and public records for financial and credit reports, social media accounts, and more. They then sell that data to advertisers, companies, or individuals who may use it to doxx you.

You might be surprised by how much sensitive information is available to anyone who wants it. Data brokers often have contact information including real names, current and former addresses, birth dates, phone numbers, social media profiles, political affiliations, and other information most consider private.

There are two ways you can remove your personal information from data brokers or people-finder sites: manually or with an automated solution

The Manual Approach:

While you can remove your private information from many data broker sites, they tend to make the process tedious and frustrating. You’ll need to:

• Identify which sites have your information (search for yourself on sites like Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified, PeopleFinder)
• Submit individual opt-out requests to each site
• Follow unique removal processes for each broker (some require email verification, others need physical mail)
• Re-check periodically as your information may reappear

The Automated Solution:

McAfee Personal Data Cleanup makes this process dramatically easier. Enter your name, date of birth, and home address, and we’ll scan it across high-risk data broker sites and help you remove it automatically.

If you plan to employ other automated data broker removal services, verify that they are reputable before handling over your information. 

Secure WHOIS Records and Domain Privacy

If you own a website, your WHOIS record publicly lists your name, address, phone number, and email unless you take action. Use WHOIS privacy protection (also called domain privacy) through your registrar to replace your personal details with the registrar’s contact information, keeping your personal data out of public domain records. Most registrars offer this service for free or a nominal fee.

Fortify Your Account Security

Anyone who gains access to your email or social media accounts through phishing or a data breach could expose your private conversations, documents, and personal details. Protect yourself with robust security measures: 

Use Strong, Unique Passwords:

• Use passwords with at least 12-16 characters. Avoid personal information like pet names, birthdates, or family members
• Never reuse passwords across accounts
• Use a password manager to generate and store complex passwords securely
• Change passwords immediately if a service you use reports a data breach

Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):

• Enable MFA on all critical accounts (email, social media, banking, work accounts)
• Use app-based authenticators (Google Authenticator, Authy) rather than SMS when possible
• Store backup codes in a secure location separate from your primary device

Be Vigilant against Phishing:

• Be suspicious of unexpected emails, texts, or messages requesting login credentials
• Always verify the sender before clicking links or providing information
• Check URLs carefully. Phishing sites often use slight misspellings
• Never enter credentials on a site you reached via a link in an email

Secure Your Document Storage

Keep sensitive documents, such as tax records, passport scans, and financial statements, out of easily searchable email folders or cloud storage that might be compromised. If you store them digitally, use encrypted storage with strong access controls.

Use Privacy and Security Tools

No single tool can prevent all doxing, but layered protection makes a big difference. 

Identity Monitoring Services:

Consider using identity monitoring services that alert you when your personal information appears in new data breaches, on the dark web, or elsewhere it shouldn’t be. Early detection will allow you to act before the information is weaponized.

Comprehensive security suite:

A comprehensive security suite such as McAfee+ helps protect your devices from phishing attacks, malicious websites, and malware that could compromise your accounts. 

Virtual Private Network (VPN):

When browsing on public Wi-Fi networks, your data is at greater risk of being intercepted. A virtual private network gives you an additional layer of protection by hiding your IP address and browsing activities when you’re on an unsecured network.

Encrypted Messaging:

For sensitive conversations, use end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like Signal or WhatsApp rather than standard SMS or unencrypted email.

Educate Your Family, Friends, and Colleagues

You might take every precaution, but if your partner posts a photo of your new house with the address or your colleague tags you in a work event with the location, your efforts are undermined. 

Have honest conversations:

• Explain why you’re cautious about personal information online
• Share specific examples of what information should stay private
• Encourage those close to you to adopt similar privacy practices

Set Family Guidelines:

For the digitally active, younger adults and teens in your family who may not fully understand the risks of oversharing, set family guidelines about what can be posted publicly and what should remain offline. 

Workplace Training:

If you work in education, government, or a high-visibility field, suggest brief safety training sessions for staff to recognize and respond to doxing threats.

What to Do if You’ve Already Been Doxxed

If your information is already out there and you’re facing harassment, here’s how to respond quickly and effectively.

1. Assess the immediate situation

If you’re receiving threats, someone is showing up at your home with the intent to harm, or you believe you’re at risk of swatting, contact local law enforcement immediately. Your physical safety comes first. 

2. Document Everything Thoroughly

Create comprehensive evidence:

• Take screenshots of every post, message, and webpage that shares your information or threatens you. 
• Take note of URLs, usernames, timestamps, and platform names 
• Save original messages and emails. Don’t just screenshot; save the actual files.
• Record any phone calls if legally permitted in your jurisdiction
• Keep a detailed timeline of events

These pieces of evidence are essential for pursuing legal action, getting content removed from platforms, and demonstrating the severity of the harassment to law enforcement. 

3. Get Your Content Removed

Platform Reporting:

Use the reporting tools on every platform where your private information has been illegally shared. Platforms can be slow to act, but be persistent and keep submitting reports and escalating through support channels. Clearly cite violations of the platform’s terms of service (most prohibit doxxing), and invoke your legal right to have your personal details removed. 

Remove Data from Website Operators:

If your personal information appears on websites or forums, contact the site administrators directly and request removal. Many will comply, especially if the information was posted without your consent.

Remove Data from Search Results:

Google offers a removal request process for certain types of content:

• Doxing content (name, address, phone number)
• Non-consensual intimate images
• Financial information like bank account numbers
• Government identification numbers

Submit removal requests through Google’s removal request page.

4. File a Police Report

Consider involving authorities in cases involving:

• Explicit threats of violence
• Stalking (repeated, unwanted contact that causes fear)
• Swatting attempts
• Targeted campaigns that severely disrupt your life
• Hacking or unauthorized access to your accounts

Prepare for law enforcement:

• Bring all your documentation (screenshots, timelines, messages)
• Be prepared to explain what doxxing is and how it’s affecting you
• If local police aren’t responsive, reach out to specialized cybercrime units at the state or federal level
• Consider consulting a lawyer familiar with online harassment cases who can advocate on your behalf

5. Seek Support and Expert Guidance

Don’t face this alone. Seek support from your family, trusted friends, and professionals. Crisis communications organizations or reputation management professionals should be able to offer guidance or connect you with legal resources.

Platform-Specific Protection: Discord, X (Twitter), and Beyond

Different platforms present unique doxxing risks. Here’s how to protect yourself on high-risk spaces:

How to Avoid Getting Doxxed on Discord

Discord’s voice chat and community-focused structure create specific vulnerabilities:

Account Security:

• Use a unique username not connected to other social media accounts or your real name
• Enable two-factor authentication
• Never share your email address, phone number, or Discord tag publicly
• Use Discord’s privacy settings to limit who can DM you (friends only)

Voice Chat Precautions:

• Be aware that voice chat can be recorded without your knowledge in public servers
• Avoid discussing personal details, location information, or identifiable stories
• Consider using voice modulation software for high-risk conversations

Server Safety:

• Only join servers from trusted communities
• Be cautious about clicking links in Discord (they can lead to IP-grabbing sites)
• Report suspicious users immediately to server moderators

How to Prevent Doxxing on Twitter

Twitter’s public nature and engagement-driven algorithm make it a prime target for harassment campaigns:

Profile Protection:

• Protect your tweets (make account private) if you’re at high risk
• Remove location information from your profile and tweets
• Don’t use your full legal name as your display name
• Disable photo tagging to prevent being tagged in revealing photos

Engagement Strategies:

• Be cautious about what you share publicly, especially during controversial discussions
• Don’t share photos that reveal your location, workplace, or home
• Block aggressive users immediately—don’t engage
• Report coordinated harassment to Twitter’s support team

Advanced Privacy:

• Use a separate email address for your Twitter account that doesn’t contain your real name
• Turn on login verification (two-factor authentication)
• Regularly review connected apps and revoke access to any you don’t recognize or use

How to Avoid Getting Doxxed as a Creator or Public Profile (TikTok, YouTube, Twitch)

Creators and public‑facing accounts face unique risks because content, schedules, and personal details are often shared at scale:

Account & Identity Separation:

• Use creator accounts that are completely separate from personal email addresses and phone numbers
• Never link personal social media accounts in public bios or “about” sections
• Use business contact emails that don’t contain your real name
• Enable two‑factor authentication on all creator platforms and connected email accounts

Content & Filming Precautions:

• Be mindful of what appears in the background of photos and videos (windows, street signs, landmarks)
• Avoid showing mail, packages, or documents with identifying information
• Delay posting content shot in real‑time to prevent location tracking
• Disable automatic location tagging and metadata whenever possible

Livestream & Interaction Safety:

• Avoid sharing schedules, routines, or future travel plans publicly
• Use chat moderation tools and trusted moderators during live streams
• Immediately ban users who ask probing personal questions
• Be cautious with donation messages or alerts that may reveal personal information

Take Control of Your Digital Footprint Today

Doxxing has become an escalating threat in our increasingly connected digital world. But you’re not powerless. By taking proactive steps to reduce your exposed data, secure your accounts, and understand how to respond if targeted, you significantly reduce your risk and increase your ability to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Start with the basics: tighten your social media settings, remove your information from data broker sites, and secure your accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Consider installing identity monitoring services, security software, and privacy features to detect threats early and give you time to respond. McAfee+ can help you stay one step ahead of anyone trying to weaponize your information.

If you’ve been doxxed, document everything, report to platforms persistently, and involve law enforcement when threats escalate. You don’t have to face this alone; support resources and professionals are available to help you through the process.

The post How to Protect Yourself from Doxxing and Lock Down Your Data appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Authored by Aayush Tyagi 

Introduction  

Minecraft is a 2011 sandbox game developed and published by Mojang Studios. It is the best-selling video game in the world and has sold over 350 million copies worldwide. Its popularity has spanned over a decade due to its versatile gameplay, offering multiple game modes, including one of the most memorable Story Mode in gaming history.

It allows players to create and host multiplayer servers with a variety of gameplay options and offers a wide range of custom launchers, game mods, and cheats to choose from.

Its massive popularity and widespread use of third-party tools have also given rise to a dark side of the Minecraft ecosystem, which is filled with Remote Access Trojans (RATs), credential stealers, keyloggers and other malware threats.   

McAfee Labs has recently uncovered a colossal Minecraft-focused Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) campaign named ‘Weedhack’, that allows threat actors to remotely access and manipulate the victims’ screen, webcam and file system through a dashboard hosted on the clear net, making it easily accessible to anyone with a Discord account and an internet connection. 

Key Findings 

• ‘Weedhack’ has been active since January 2026 and masquerades as genuine Minecraft clients and mods to infect users.  
• We’ve discovered over 3820 unique malicious JAR files that are part of this attack and over 240 URLs responsible for distributing this malware.  
• This campaign utilizes SEO poisoning and YouTube to generate traffic to these malicious URLs. We also found two YouTube channels and multiple videos that demonstrate Minecraft Mods and Clients and redirect viewers to these URLs. 
• The campaign has accumulated a total of 116,464 hits, averaging approximately 2000 to 3,000 hits per day. 
• The campaign provides an enterprise-grade dashboard that allows customers to view stolen credentials and system information, download the payload, configure notifications, access tutorials, and remotely monitor their victims.  
• This campaign deploys EtherHiding, a technique that uses Ethereum blockchain to fetch its latest C2 domain. The responses are RSA-signed and verified before execution, helping protect the network from campaign takeover attempts. 
• We’ve uncovered 10 domains that host the next stage payloads and host the malware dashboard for the Weedhack campaign.  
• We’ve identified 11 domains that hosted similar MaaS campaigns in the past, orchestrated by the same threat actor.  
• We’ve unearthed the threat actor’s Telegram account and uncovered a Telegram channel for customers, with over 850 members, as of writing this blog. 
• This campaign offers two service tiers: free and premium.  
• The free tier includes a comprehensive infostealer capable of targeting Minecraft session IDs and four Minecraft launchers, collecting system information, and stealing cookies and passwords from 36 different browsers. It also targets 56 browser-based crypto wallets and 12 desktop crypto wallets, along with Discord, Steam, and Telegram credentials. It can search for files using 24 different keywords and includes screenshot capture capabilities. 
• For premium users, with subscriptions starting at $5 per month, it offers additional remote-access capabilities such as webcam access, keylogging, reverse shell execution, screen sharing with keyboard and mouse access, and file management features for uploading and downloading files.  
• While monitoring the Telegram channel, we found that WeedHack malware is a major catalyst for cyberbullying. Many of its customers appear to be teenagers and young adults and are using remote access capabilities to threaten, harass and monitor their victims, which are around the same age.
  

The post Game Over: WeedHack – The Rise of Minecraft Malware-as-a-Service Campaigns appeared first on McAfee Blog.

It’s the video call that cost $25 million.

According to reports from Hong Kong police in February, a finance worker at a multinational company joined a video conference call with the company’s chief financial officer. On the call, the CFO directed the finance worker to transfer more than $25 million in funds to several bank accounts.

The finance worker reportedly had reservations about the request, thinking that the CFO looked “a little off.” The finance worker then reportedly turned to the other participants on the call for confirmation. They all agreed to the request. With that, the transfers went through. More than $25 million in funds were moved out of the company. Right into the hands of fraudsters.

As it turns out, the CFO on the worker’s call was a video deepfake. Along with everyone else.

Hong Kong’s public broadcaster, RTHK, quoted senior police superintendent Baron Chan as saying that AI deepfake technology was used to dupe the worker.

“[The fraudster] invited the informant [worker] to a video conference that would have many participants. Because the people in the video conference looked like the real people, the informant … made 15 transactions as instructed to five local bank accounts, which came to a total of HK$200 million,” he said.

Fraudsters now use AI deepfakes to pull off corporate scams

Businesses now face an altogether new security threat: video deepfakes. In real time, scammers can pose as company officers, vendors, partners, and so on. Put plainly, we live in a time where the person on the other end of that video call might be a fake.

Scammers face several challenges before they can pull off a deepfake attack. The primary challenge they have is obtaining source material. To create a deepfake, they need images, video, and audio of the person they want to impersonate. Consider, though, that some company officials have relatively high profiles. They speak at conferences, hold webinars, and participate in earnings calls. Throw in a few photos and videos lifted from the target’s social media accounts, and scammers have the source material they need to create a deepfake.

The next challenge … scammers need a good story, one with emotional levers they can pull and coerce a victim to act. In the case of the Hong Kong scam, the deepfakes plied their victim with a mix of urgency and authority. The “CTO” wanted to move money and move that money immediately. With the other deepfakes on the call concurring with the CTO, the victim did as asked. In all, it was a classic case of a hand-picked victim subjected to a classic execution of social engineering.

Understandably, this story drew major coverage given the use of deepfakes and the haul they brought in. Moreover, the fact that the fraudsters orchestrated not just one but a host of deepfakes makes it that much more newsworthy. In light of this, companies and their employees have a new threat to look out for. And, better yet, prepare themselves for deepfakes.

Preventing corporate AI deepfake scams

While AI deepfakes hopping onto video conference calls certainly marks new territory in security, several long-standing measures for preventing corporate fraud remain the same. Additionally, some new preventive measures are called for.

Look for the signs of AI deepfakes

Earlier, we mentioned how the victim in the Hong Kong attack mentioned that the CFO looked “a little off” on the video call. AI deepfakes, while convincing, sometimes have the tell-tale markers of a fake.

However, that’s changing. Quickly. As the tools for creating deepfakes continually improve, deepfakes become increasingly difficult to spot.

Earlier generations of deepfake tools had difficulty tracking excessive head movement, like when the deepfake turned for a profile shot. Further, earlier tools required users to keep their hands off their faces. Placing a hand on the chin or over the mouth would break up the face of the deepfake. Another marker of earlier deepfake tools can be found in the eyes. They often had a glassy look, like they weren’t catching the light right. The same went for skin tones and lighting.

So yes, a deepfake might look “a little off.” Consider that a huge red flag. Yet don’t entirely count on this method of detection. As AI deepfake tools evolve, they’re able to remove such blemishes from the video.

Confirm, confirm, and confirm

Any time that sensitive info or sums of money are involved, get confirmation of the request. Place a phone call to the person after receiving the request to ensure it’s indeed legitimate. Better yet, meet the individual in person if possible. In all, contact them outside the email, message, or call that initially made the request to ensure you’re not dealing with an imposter.

In the wake of targeted attacks on key stakeholders, some organizations have restructured how they handle requests for data, funds, and other sensitive information. They require two or three people to fulfill such a request. This makes it tougher for scammers to run their cons. For starters, they have the burden of targeting two or more people. Then they face the further burden of convincing them all. This oversight gives companies a chance to fully validate requests, and potentially catch “urgent” bogus requests from scammers.

Fraudsters do their research — keep your guard up

Fraudsters select their victims carefully in these targeted attacks. They hunt down employees with access to info and funds, and then do their research on them. Using public records, data broker sites, “people finder” sites, and info from social media, fraudsters collect intel on their marks. Armed with that, they can pepper their conversations with references that sound more informed, more personal, and thus more convincing. Just because what’s being said feels or sounds somewhat familiar doesn’t always mean it’s coming from a trustworthy source.

Clean up your online presence

With that, employees can reduce the amount of personal info others can find online. Features likeMcAfee Personal Data Cleanup can help remove personal info from some of the riskiest data broker sites out there. I also keep tabs on those sites if more personal info appears on them later. Additionally, employees can set their social media profiles to private by limiting access to “friends and family only,” which denies fraudsters another avenue of info gathering. Using our Social Privacy Manager can make that even easier. With just a few clicks, it can adjust more than 100 privacy settings across their social media accounts, making them more private.

Defense against AI deepfake attacks

Moving forward, we can expect to see more of these corporate AI deepfake attacks. On all manner of scales. The availability and power of AI tools make it likely. However, as with many forms of targeted attacks, there’s something both fishy and uncanny about them. As we’ve seen, the employee targeted in the Hong Kong attack held suspicions … something was wrong about that call. Yet, who would expect a video conference call full of AI deepfakes? With this attack, companies should consider that such calls fall within the realm of possibility today.

As AI detection technologies evolve, companies will have additional tools to prevent these attacks. Yet the human factor remains an essential element of defense. These are scams, pure and simple. And scams have signs. Fraudsters use all kinds of social engineering tricks to get their victims to act. They’ll impose themselves as authority figures. They’ll add elements of urgency to their requests. And they’ll use people’s personal info in ways to make themselves appear familiar and trustworthy.

This is where we stand today: a basic understanding of AI deepfake technology, what it’s capable of, and the tricks that fraudsters can play with it can bolster a company’s defense against AI deepfake attacks. Indeed, they’re within the realm of possibility today. And a prepared workforce can help stop them in their tracks before they can do any harm.

The post How Scammers Used Deepfake Video to Dupe a Company Out of Millions appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Romance scammers now use face-swapping tech in video chats, all to swindle love-seekers online.

It’s finally come to pass. We indeed live in a time where that person on the other end of a video call might be an absolute imposter. The way they look and the way they sound, all a lie.

A recent article in WIRED shows just how this new form of romance scam works. With a laptop or a couple of smartphones, the cons transform their looks and voices entirely with stock-and-trade AI tools. In real time, they become someone else entirely, with AI mirroring every expression they make as they chat on a video call. It all appears quite real.

Yet a deepfake it is.

Deep feelings and deepfakes fire up AI romance scams

Chilling as this striking new form of attack sounds, you can protect yourself. In fact, many of the same tried-and-true means of avoiding a romance scam still apply.

Even when scammers use real-time deepfakes, the heart of these romance scams remains the same. It plays out like a script. And when you know the script, you can spot the scammer following it.

Romance scams play out a bit like this …

The scammer contacts a love-seeker online, often through direct messages on social media or via text or messaging apps. Sometimes the message is targeted and personalized. In other cases, the scammer might start things off with a simple “hi.” Either way, the scammer aims to kick off a conversation. A long one in which the scammer builds trust with a victim over time.

Days, weeks, and even months pass as the scammer woos their victim. Patiently, they wait for the right moment to pounce by finally asking the victim for money. Maybe it’s gift cards. Maybe it’s prepaid debit cards. A wire transfer, perhaps. Almost always, it’s a form of payment that’s tricky, if not impossible, to recover after victims realize they’ve been scammed. Scammers have even asked for cryptocurrency in some cases.

The reasons for requesting money vary. The scammer might say it’s for a plane ticket to come visit or simply a few bucks to help them in a pinch. Other scammers heap on yet more elaborate lies. Some pose as members of the military stationed in a remote overseas location. They’ll say they want some extra money for a video game console or other creature comfort. Some scammers brazenly claim they’re a doctor working in a remote village and need money for medicine. The list goes on.

As outlandish as the stories and requests might be, victims fall for them. After all, the scammer has been fawning over the victim for some time by that point. The victim truly feels like they’re truly in love with someone who truly loves them. They’ll do anything for their love interest, who turns out to be a scammer and, one day, disappears entirely.

That’s how a romance scam plays out. And it happens often enough. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2023 Internet Crime Report, losses to reported cases of romance scams topped more than $650 million.

How not to fall deeply for a deepfake online

Scammers have ready access to deepfake tools, ones that make them look and sound convincingly real. Moreover, these deepfake tools continually improve. With each generation of deepfakes, they become increasingly difficult to detect.

As a result, we can’t take things at face value. Everything we see and hear online requires scrutiny. And scrutiny is what it takes to protect yourself from deepfake romance scams.

Watch the person’s movements on the call

Less sophisticated deepfake tools struggle to track body movement. As such, scammers do their best to hold their heads steady and avoid turning around. Otherwise, that kind of movement ruins the deepfake effect. It’s quite obvious when it happens. With that, see if you can get a suspected deepfake to move around, stand up, turn for a sideways profile, or place their hands on their face. Lesser deepfakes will reveal themselves when they do.

Talk with trusted friends or family members

Beyond keeping a sharp eye out for glitches, you have another detection tool at your disposal — friends and family. When a new relationship starts heating up, share the news with some trusted people in your life. Talk about your interactions with the person, even share a message they’ve sent or two. Victims often miss or overlook inconsistencies in a romance scammer’s stories, particularly as the supposed relationships develop.

Friends and family can help you spot those inconsistencies. They can also point out when parts of the relationship start to sound sketchy. Given the way that scammers pull all kinds of strings on their victims, this can help clear up any clouded judgment.

When a stranger you’ve only met online brings up money, consider it a scam

Money talk is an immediate sign of a scam. The moment a person you’ve never met in person asks for money, put an end to the conversation. Whether they ask for bank transfers, cryptocurrency, money orders, or gift cards, say no.

End the conversation

You might say no, and the scammer might back off — only to bring up the topic of money again later. This is a signal to end the conversation. That persistence is a sure sign of a scam. Recognize that ending an online relationship might be far easier said than done, as the saying goes. Scammers worm their way into the lives of their victims. A budding friendship or romance might be at stake, at least that’s what a scammer wants you to think. They deal in emotional blackmail to get what they want. Tough as it is, end the relationship.

How to make it tougher for a romance scammer to target you

Scammers have to track you down in some way or other. And they have plenty of online resources to do it. Some romance scammers take an extra step. They profile their potential victims before contacting them. With the info they’ve gathered online, they can fine-tune their approach.

For example, we’ve seen cases where scammers target widowers with bogus profile pics that share similarities with the widower’s deceased spouse.

While you can’t keep a scammer from reaching out to you, you can make it tougher for them to find you and use your own info against you.

Make your social media more private

Our new McAfee Social Privacy Manager personalizes your privacy based on your preferences. It does the heavy lifting by adjusting more than 100 privacy settings across your social media accounts in only a few clicks. This makes sure that your personal info is only visible to the people you want to share it with. It also keeps it out of search engines, where the public can see it. Including scammers.

Watch what you post on public forums

As with social media, scammers harvest info from online forums dedicated to sports, hobbies, interests, and the like. If possible, use a screen name on these sites so that your profile doesn’t immediately identify you. Likewise, keep your personal details to yourself. When posted on a public forum, it becomes a matter of public record. Anyone, including scammers, can find it.

Remove your info from data brokers that sell it

McAfee Personal Data Cleanup helps you remove your personal info from many of the riskiest data broker sites out there. That includes your contact info. Running it regularly can keep your name and info off these sites, even as data brokers collect and post new info. Depending on your plan, it can send requests to remove your data automatically.

The post How Romance Scammers are Using Deepfakes to Swindle Victims appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Authored by Harshil Patel and Sakshi Jaiswal 

McAfee Labs has recently uncovered a large scale CountLoader campaign that uses multiple layers of obfuscation and staged payload delivery to evade detection and maintain persistence in infected systems. The infection process relies on several layers of loaders, including PowerShell scripts, obfuscated JavaScript executed through mshta.exe, and in memory shellcode injection, each stage decrypting and launching the next. The attackers employ a custom encrypted communication protocol to interact with their C2 servers. By registering a backup domain used by the malware, we were able to sinkhole the traffic and observe thousands of infected machines connecting to the C2 infrastructure. Final payload deployed in this campaign is a cryptocurrency clipper, which monitors clipboard activity and replaces copied wallet addresses with attacker controlled ones to redirect cryptocurrency transactions. 

Sinkholing 

Sinkholing is a defensive technique in which researchers take control of malicious domains or infrastructure used by malware. Instead of allowing infected systems to communicate with attacker controlled C2 servers, the traffic is redirected to a researcher controlled server. This approach enables researchers to monitor infected hosts, collect telemetry, measure the scale and spread of a campaign. 

Key Findings 

• McAfee researchers identified a large-scale CountLoader campaign using multi-stage payload delivery and heavy obfuscation techniques. 
• Researchers successfully sinkholed malware communication using a backup C2 domain, enabling visibility into the campaign’s infrastructure and infected hosts. 
• The sinkhole received approximately 5,000 connections per minute from infected systems. 
• Telemetry collected during the investigation revealed around 86,000 unique infected machines. 
• The malware also spreads through USB drives, with approximately 9,000 infections attributed to removable media. 
• The final payload deployed in this campaign is cryptocurrency clipper malware that hijacks clipboard data to redirect cryptocurrency transactions. 

C2 Sinkholing and Geographical Prevalence  

As the malware contacts the C2 servers in the reverse order and only hell1-kitty[.]cc was used by attackers, we were able to register hell10-kitty[.]cc and were able to gain insights into the campaign. 

On average, around 5,000 infected clients contacted our server every minute. 

In total, we observed approximately 86,000 unique infections. 

Telemetry collected revealed that this CountLoader campaign has a broad global footprint. The highest number of infections were observed in India, followed by Indonesia, the United States, and several countries across Southeast Asia. 

Conclusion 

CountLoader is a multistage malware loader that uses obfuscated JavaScript and trusted Windows utilities to deliver additional payloads. It ensures persistence via scheduled tasks and uses multiple fallback C2 domains to maintain reliability. Malware employs in-memory execution and security bypass techniques to evade detection.  

In recent campaigns, it has been observed deploying cryptocurrency clipper malware to silently hijack transactions.  

McAfee Researchers identified a flaw in its communication mechanism and were able to exploit it to gain insights into the campaign. 

Technical Analysis 

The following diagram illustrates the complete infection chain used in this CountLoader campaign, from the initial execution to the deployment of the final payload. 

The infection begins when an EXE file is executed. This file launches a PowerShell command, which downloads and executes an obfuscated JavaScript loader known as CountLoader. The loader is executed using mshta.exe, a legitimate Windows utility often abused by malware to run scripts. 

Once executed, it performs several tasks: 

• Establishes persistence by creating a scheduled task that runs every 30 minutes. 

• Contacts multiple C2 servers, trying them in reverse order until a connection is successful. 

• Attempts to spread via USB drives by replacing files with malicious LNK shortcuts that execute the malware when opened. 

• Wait for the C2 server to issue commands to download and execute payloads. 

The payload execution chain consists of several stages: 

Launcher: A secondary JavaScript component creates another scheduled task that runs every 60 minutes, ensuring long term persistence. 

PowerShell Packer: The launcher executes an obfuscated PowerShell script that acts as a packer. This script decrypts and launches the next stage. 

Injector: The next PowerShell stage disables security mechanisms such as AMSI and injects shellcode into a legitimate process. 

Shellcode Execution: The injected shellcode unpacks the final payload directly in memory. 

Final Payload: The final payload is executed under the process systeminfo.exe. In this campaign, the deployed payload was identified as a cryptocurrency clipper malware, which monitors clipboard activity and replaces copied cryptocurrency wallet addresses with attacker controlled addresses. 

Stage 1– Exe 

The infection chain begins with the execution of a malicious EXE file, it immediately runs a PowerShell one-liner as shown in the below image. 

Stage 2 – PowerShell 

The PowerShell script fetched from the URL decodes a Base64-encoded string and executes the resulting content. It also employs an unusual obfuscation technique, where the variable names are crafted to resemble the highlighted pattern, making the script harder to read and analyze.

Multiple such variables are used to create a complete base64 string which is then decoded and executed through Invoke-Expression. 

Stage 3 – CountLoader 

The file is a HTA file with JavaScript that uses string obfuscation technique to evade detection. 

It starts by hiding the mshta window to ensure that the malicious activity runs silently in the background without alerting the user. 

The script then attempts to delete its own file in case it was executed locally. If the script determines that it is not being executed from a URL, it terminates immediately.  

Then the script tries to contact C2 servers, iterating through the list in reverse order.

A handshake process is performed to verify connectivity with the server. The client sends an encrypted “checkStatus” message, and the server responds with an encrypted “success” message if the connection is valid 

All communications between the client and the server are encrypted, with slightly different encryption schemes used for each direction: 

1. Client to Server:  text → (key+(base64encode(utf16le(xor(text, key))))) 
2. Server to Client:  text → (key+(base64encode(xor(text, key)))) 

The key is a randomly generated six digit number created for each message. 

If the handshake is successful, the corresponding domain is selected as the active C2 server, which is used for all subsequent communications. 

To maintain persistence on the infected system, the malware creates a scheduled task if one does not already exist. 

The scheduled task command line is slightly different if it detects CrowdStrike or Reason AV installed on the system, likely as an attempt to evade detection from these AVs. 

After establishing persistence, the malware gets a JWT token from the C2 server, which is used to authenticate further requests. 

The get_jwt_token function sends system information about the infected host to the server.

This includes details related to cryptocurrency usage, such as installed wallets and browser extensions, allowing the attackers to determine whether the victim is likely involved with cryptocurrency. 

Finally, the malware gets commands from the C2 server, which is then executed on the compromised system. 

Each command contains a taskType value that determines the action to be performed on the infected system. 

The table below shows the command codes and their actions. 

Code	Command
1	execute exe file
2	execute python file
3	execute dll file
4	uninstall itself
5	send domain info to C2
6	execute msi file
9	spread by infecting usb files
10	execute HTA file
11	execute powershell file

We observed two commands from the above list being sent to the malware as highlighted below: 

Spreading via USB drives (taskType – 9) 

When instructed by the C2 server to spread via USB drives, the malware replaces certain file types on all connected external drives with LNK shortcut files. These shortcuts are crafted so that when a user opens them, the malware executes while simultaneously opening the original file to avoid suspicion. 

Targeted file types are  exe , pdf , doc and docx. 

The build ID of the malware is appended with “_usb”. 

Deploying payload using powershell (taskType – 11) 

The CountLoader is capable of running many types of executable files, In this campaign, it deploys a separate execution chain that ultimately leads to a clipper malware. 

CountLoader launches the next stage using the following command line: 

Payload Launcher 

The Payload Launcher is very similar to CountLoader in terms of both functionality and obfuscation techniques. 

However, unlike CountLoader, which retrieves tasks from the C2 server, the launcher contains hard-coded task information. 

For persistence, it creates a scheduled task which executes  “mshata.exe {domain}/{name}“ every 60 minutes. 

In the task configuration: 

“url” specifies the url of the payload. 

“taskType” is set to 11, indicating that the payload should be executed as a PowerShell script. 

Powershell Packer 

The PowerShell script executed by the launcher acts as a simple packer. It is obfuscated using the same obfuscation technique mentioned earlier. Its primary function is to decrypt and execute another PowerShell script. 

Injector 

The next stage is another PowerShell script responsible for injecting shellcode into a running process. 

Before performing the injection, the script disables AMSI (Antimalware Scan Interface) using script from GitHub – S3cur3Th1sSh1t/Amsi-Bypass-Powershell.  

After disabling AMSI, the script executes code that performs shellcode injection, 

And injects in one of these legitimate processes: 

Shellcode 

The injected shellcode unpacks and loads the final payload directly into memory, 

Final Payload 

The payload observed in this campaign is a clipper malware. This type of malware changes cryptocurrency address in clipboard to that of attacker’s when user copies any address. 

It starts by fetching the C2 server address, which it gets by a technique called EtherHiding, where the C2 server address is fetched from Ethereum blockchain. 

Once the C2 server address is obtained, the malware begins reporting system activity to the server. 

It then continuously monitors the clipboard contents. 

McAfee Coverage 

McAfee provides extensive coverage against CountLoader:  

Trojan:Script/CountLoader4.DES
Trojan:Script/JSBackdoor.HELK!2
Trojan:Shortcut/LNKDownloader.HK
Trojan:Shortcut/Worm.HELK
Trojan:Script/ObfuPS.HELK
Trojan:Script/AMSIBypass.STS!1
Ti!5F9FF671955A
Ti!DC602CB53A9C

Indicators Of Compromise 

IOC
EXE (stage 1)	5f9ff671955a6d551595f9838aed063c496da5039be0d222fe84f96cb3e1d32a
PS url (stage 2)	https://memory-scanner[.]cc/Presentation[.]pdf
PS (stage 2)	3c278499c5e3ced3bf1a6a7287808c5267075f1dec0aa5c7be2c4c444f33f2bc
CountLoader download URLs	https://memory-scanner[.]cc/
	https://hell1-kitty[.]cc/update1_usb_usb_usb[.]VOcx4wEV8
CountLoader v3.3	c68e436d4cb984db026210806f50d0c81eec5f6e4860197dab91fab6f31ef796
CountLoader v4.1	e2faad8111e7d47349cbc549b85e62231b8678057906bc813aad7242fa95ae63
	e5e1d8ec4cd109df290752ee3d4b2cbc9de6df4360e9983548f1bc6b1d088540
CountLoader C2 Domains	hell1-kitty[.]cc
	alphazero1-endscape[.]cc
	api-microservice-us1[.]com
	bucket-aws-s1[.]com
	bucket-aws-s2[.]com
	fileless-storage-s3[.]cc
	globalsnn1-new[.]cc
	globalsnn2-new[.]cc
	globalsnn3-new[.]cc
	handle-me-sv1[.]com
	hardware-office[.]cc
	health-smooth-eu1[.]com
	health-smooth-eu2[.]com
	health-smooth-eu3[.]com
	holiday-updateservice[.]com
	memory-protection-layer1[.]cc
	memory-protection-layer2[.]cc
	microservice-update-s1-bucket[.]cc
	microservice-update-s2-bucket[.]cc
	my-smart-house1[.]com
	polystore9-servicebucket[.]cc
	s3-updatehub[.]cc
usb lnk files	10593dbe9edfde7943fdaadd7882f190216b2f6502667daf701088a6e810deaf
	0a69a9cc75d65774e5eb90a4a739bd4335d33b176dc4923acb691bd45af66bdf
	27c6a6bda2c0ef3ecb78dad9c6bb7c3abaf2e32b3ad96f372a0102c0c9c0f08d
	2cd449f1bb24f05d2e240812a74bd62f2583bbbe4d0ccc9ae5736240e29a0068
	30dcd5c71beb76d2f8df768d5fd9e9145cb8fbbfc951a63b969d26d3b64002b9
	dd4c7f5aae404816cf447b8090b620c1a1971a35c6791116aa3f871f00ae011b
	42a1fc74334c9a3b8720c79df55f84c7398bd31609eb10581e8c7155835498e3
	9c0d334aac5a6f66016dc5ce8df75c46d519a4e6d16c68cf2b1405c81189186d
	44f6313e9542c0d51937a70160fe4137012905d8c79ad27ccc0021788ecfaa4e
payload launcher url	https://hell1-kitty[.]cc/gamecenter[.]fileManager
	https://hardware-office[.]cc/foundation[.]halflife
payload launcher	cbdfb46b9265a3dfb3bc6b0aade472dde28b1660dbd3ded3b67b1530b4497cca
		packer url	http://45[.]156[.]87[.]118:3015/select
			http://45[.]156[.]87[.]62:3443/production
http://104[.]253[.]1[.]137/content
packer	4a5e1d6ee1217e1fbacf54fc6017fbf9d24a25078266b02358d56a9c7437ceb7
injector	05becb67d8bf1e49fcfccb0d346b82368a2b1c2bf07316078c364c7b020154de
shellcode	44daa1b68737b55a711963eec211c7c018bcba4cb6d68c286a4b45ea781a7d73
payload	dc602cb53a9c24abfcdaadf0ca8256b5fb5cac6d91d20ed8431bdaaf51c0cafe
payload C2	https://edr-security-bucket1[.]cc/

The post Sinkholing CountLoader: Insights into Its Recent Campaign appeared first on McAfee Blog.

For many families around the world, the digital spaces where children learn and play have also become venues for relentless harassment. According to a 2025 survey of nearly 3,500 U.S. teens by the Cyberbullying Research Center, about 58% have been cyberbullied at least once, a significant jump from 34% in 2016.

Experts warn that this issue is now a constant crisis and impacting the well-being of children and teens.

In this guide, we will clarify exactly what counts as cyberbullying. We will explore how new platforms and artificial intelligence are reshaping the landscape. Most importantly, we will provide you with practical steps to protect your family. Together, we can take actionable steps to keep our digital lives safe and positive.

What Is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is not a vague term for online drama. It has specific characteristics that separate it from a simple disagreement between friends. Similar to bullying, cyberbullying has standard elements of unwanted aggressive behavior, an observed or perceived power imbalance, and behavior that is repeated or likely to be repeated.

Common cyberbullying behaviors include name-calling, severe insults, rumor spreading, direct threats, impersonation through fake accounts, intentional exclusion from group chats, non-consensual sharing of private photos, and doxxing, publishing someone’s private information like their home address or phone number without consent. We also frequently see pile-on attacks, where dozens or hundreds of users flood a person’s comments section with hate statements.

The Cyberbullying Research Center notes that in recent national surveys, about 26.5% of U.S. students reported being cyberbullied in the last 30 days, underscoring the ongoing nature of online harassment as a daily reality for many.

Why Cyberbullying is Different (and More Harmful)

While the core intent to harm is the same as traditional bullying, cyberbullying operates differently:

• Platform: Bullying takes place in the physical world, while cyberbullying occurs in digital spaces such as text messages, direct messages, social media platforms, group chats, online gaming environments, email, and photo-sharing applications.
• Anonymity: Another major difference is anonymity. Cyberbullies often hide behind fake profiles or anonymous accounts, making it difficult to know who is launching the attacks.
• Constancy: A significant difference with cyberbullying is the constant nature of the internet. Online harassment can follow teens home and continue late into the night via phones and apps.
• Audience and permanence: A hurtful comment made in a school hallway is heard by a few people and eventually fades, while a similar post online can spread to thousands of people in minutes. It can be screen-captured and may resurface years later. Once it is out there, it is incredibly difficult to remove.

Despite these differences, there is a strong overlap in how bullying and cyberbullying impact individuals. Many youths who are bullied online are also bullied at school, and experience anxiety or depression.

Types and Examples of Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying takes many forms, from classic harassment tactics to emerging AI-powered threats. The most frequently reported forms of cyberbullying include being excluded from group chats, mean or hurtful comments posted online, public embarrassment or humiliation, and rumors spread online, according to the Cyberbullying Research Center’s 2025 survey. Understanding these methods helps you recognize and stop them.

Common Cyberbullying Methods

• Harassment: Sending repeated offensive messages through texts, direct messages, or comments, or intentionally leaving someone out of group chats and online activities where they can see what they’re missing.
• Flaming: An online fight conducted through angry, vulgar exchanges via emails, messages, social media, or chat rooms. Unlike harassment, flaming is often a heated back-and-forth exchange rather than one-sided attacks.
• Impersonation and Fake Accounts: Creating fake profiles or hacking into someone’s account to post damaging content as if the victim wrote it themselves, destroying reputations quickly
• Outing and Doxing: Sharing private photos, messages, or personal information (like addresses or phone numbers) publicly without consent to embarrass, humiliate, or intimidate
• Cyberstalking: Persistent online monitoring accompanied by threatening messages that make someone fear for their safety, which is a federal crime. Examples include tracking someone’s location through social media check-ins, obsessively monitoring their online activity, or sending relentless, threatening messages.

Where Cyberbullying Occurs Most

To protect our kids, we need to know where the risks are highest. Recent analyses find that cyberbullying mainly happens on social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook, as well as in messaging apps and online games, where teens commonly interact.

If you are a parent, take an inventory of the apps your child uses most frequently and ask them to show you how the messaging and commenting features work. Familiarizing yourself with these digital environments will help them navigate these platforms safely.

Emerging AI-Driven Threats

Artificial intelligence (AI) has fundamentally changed the internet, and has, unfortunately, introduced alarming new tactics:

• Deepfake Images and Videos: AI-generated content can be misused to create highly realistic images or videos called deepfakes. Entirely fake videos can be created showing a student doing or saying something they never did, which complicates evidence gathering. These are then shared in group chats or posted publicly to spread false narratives and destroy reputations.
• Voice Cloning: Students are using AI to mimic classmates’ voices, generating audio that makes someone sound like they said something offensive or embarrassing, with no easy way to prove it wasn’t real. About 11% of U.S. high schoolers have experienced this.
• AI-Generated Harassment: AI chatbots are being used to generate spam, threats, and hate speech at scale, flooding a victim’s inbox or comment sections across platforms.
• Body-Shaming with AI Filters: AI-altered images and filters are being weaponized to body-shame and humiliate targets, often shared widely before victims can respond.

AI Can Also Be a Safety Tool

However, platforms have also begun using AI as a safety tool to detect hate speech, harassment, and predatory behavior in real time. Newer safety reports show that AI-driven comment filtering and think-before-you-post nudges successfully reduce toxic comments and repeat harassment on major platforms.

How Common Is Cyberbullying Today?

The statistics show that cyberbullying is a widespread issue requiring immediate attention. In a 2024 study, the World Health Organization revealed that 15% of surveyed adolescents have experienced cyberbullying.

In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey reports that 16% of high school students were electronically bullied in the previous 12 months, about 38.3% of whom were girls compared to 29.9% of boys.

Another study showed that about 53.9% of teens aged 13 to 17 reported being cyberbullied. These statistics demonstrate that cyberbullying is a mainstream experience, making digital safety education relevant to almost every family.

The Most Affected Groups

Aside from gender, identity plays a key role in who is targeted for cyberbullying. Gender minorities reported much higher rates of harassment at 47.1% compared with their heterosexual peers at 30%, as did students with developmental disabilities.

How Cyberbullying Affects Mental Health

There is evidence that online harassment causes profound psychological harm. A CDC report links frequent social media use with higher rates of both in-person and cyberbullying, as well as constant sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal thinking among teens.

This is supported by the 2025 announcement from mental health experts highlighting the connection between cyberbullying and increased anxiety, depression, and trauma-like symptoms. Even though incidents seem minor, parents and teens must acknowledge that emotional reactions to cyberbullying are valid and serious. Early support and intervention can significantly reduce long-term harm.

Platform Safety Updates for Teens

Social media companies are facing intense pressure to protect younger users, leading to significant updates. In 2025, Meta tightened default messaging and commenting settings for teens, automatically assigning the strictest safety options to teen accounts to filter inappropriate interactions from unknown users.

In addition, the company’s Instagram and Facebook platforms now provide more information about users contacting teens, showing details such as the age of the account and providing a way to block and report abusive users.

Help your child utilize these settings by ensuring their accounts are set to private to restrict direct messages from strangers. Enable each platform’s built-in AI comment filtering to hide offensive words automatically.

Signs Your Child May Be Cyberbullied

As a parent, one of your most powerful tools is simply paying attention. Cyberbullying often leaves visible traces in your child’s behavior, emotions, and device habits, if you know what to look for. The good news is that early recognition means early intervention, and that can make all the difference.

Behavioral Changes to Watch For

• Sudden withdrawal from social activities or friends
• Reluctance to go to school or participate in usual activities
• Anxiety or nervousness when using devices or checking messages
• Changes in sleep patterns or appetite

Emotional Warning Signs

• Increased sadness, anxiety, or irritability, especially after being online
• Low self-esteem or negative self-talk (“nobody likes me,” “I’m stupid”)
• Reluctance to discuss online activities or what’s happening at school

Device and Online Behavior

• Extreme changes in screen time, either excessive checking or complete avoidance
• Suddenly deleting social media accounts without explanation
• Being secretive about online activity or quickly hiding screens
• Receiving unusual volumes of messages or calls, especially at odd hours

If you notice several of these signs together, it’s time for a conversation. The key is approaching with empathy and making it clear they won’t be punished for opening up.

How to Prevent Cyberbullying: Guidance for Families

Knowing the impact of cyberbullying is only half the battle. The most important step is being proactive to protect your family. Here is how you can build a resilient defense against online harassment and empower your children.

Build Open Communication and Digital Citizenship Skills

The foundation of digital safety is trust. Encourage regular, judgment-free check-ins on your child’s online activities. Ask them what they are doing, seeing, and feeling related to the ongoing online issues. Assure them you will not confiscate their phone when they report a problem.

In addition, teach your kids to recognize cyberbullying and to support their peers who are being targeted. Underscore the importance of not joining in on the comment pile-ons, and let them know that it is perfectly acceptable to block, mute, or simply leave harmful digital spaces. Research suggests that strong parent-teen communication can buffer some negative effects of social media use and encourage teens to ask for help sooner.

Enable Safety Settings

Every major platform has tools designed to stop harassment. Teach your child to use keyword filters to automatically hide comments that contain specific insults, slurs, and other forms of hate speech. Help them set their accounts to private to restrict direct messages from strangers, and enable each platform’s built-in AI comment-filtering features.

How to Report Cyberbullying

Alongside safety features, teach them to block and report harassers on the platform. You can end cyberbullying quickly if you know how to use platforms’ tools effectively.

1. Document Everything First

Before blocking, deleting, or reporting anything, save evidence. Create a digital safety plan and agree with your family that if anyone receives a threatening or highly abusive message, they should document the incident with screenshots before blocking, deleting, or responding to it. These screenshots will serve as important pieces of evidence if the school or platforms need to take action.

2. Use Platform Reporting Tools

Most importantly, teach your child to block and report harassers on the platform. Here’s how on major platforms:

Instagram, Facebook, and Threads:

1. Tap the three dots on the post or message
2. Select “Report” and choose the violation type (bullying or harassment)
3. Follow prompts to block the account
4. Use “Restrict” to limit interactions without full blocking

TikTok:

1. Long-press the comment or video
2. Select “Report” and choose “Bullying and harassment”
3. Block the account from their profile page

Snapchat:

1. Press and hold on the message or username
2. Tap “Report” and select the issue
3. Block the user to prevent further contact

YouTube:

1. Click the three dots next to the comment or video
2. Select “Report” and choose “Cyberbullying or harassment”

Gaming Platforms (Xbox, PlayStation, Discord, and Roblox)

1. Use in-game or platform reporting options, typically found in user profiles or chat menus
2. Many platforms now offer real-time abuse detection that automatically flags harassment

Text Messages:

1. Block the number through your phone settings
2. Report spam to your carrier (forward to 7726/SPAM for most U.S. carriers)
3. Save screenshots before blocking

3. Escalate for More Help

Sometimes, platform tools are not enough. You need to know when to escalate the situation to the appropriate authorities. Follow the steps below when you see signs of ongoing harassment, physical threats, identity-based or other forms of hate, the sharing of private images, as well as changes in your child’s mood, sleep patterns, or school attendance.

1. Save all evidence, including screenshots, URLs, usernames, and timestamps.
2. Contact school officials, such as a counselor or principal, and provide them with specific documentation.
3. Seek professional mental health support to address your child’s distress.
4. Contact local law enforcement immediately if there are threats of physical harm or illegal content involved.

How Technology Can Help Prevent Cyberbullying

While technology is the medium for cyberbullying, it is also a tool for prevention and protection. Using the right software can give parents peace of mind and help teens navigate the web.

Device-Level Protection and Parental Controls

Cyberbullying is frequently accompanied by other digital threats, such as sending malicious links, stealing passwords, or tricking victims into downloading scam apps. This is where robust security software becomes essential to help block phishing links and compromised websites.

Additionally, parental control tools allow you to manage screen time, filter inappropriate web content, and monitor or limit certain types of app usage for age-appropriate scenarios. These tools help protect younger children from platforms they are not emotionally ready to handle.

Digital Well-Being Tools that Signal Distress

Modern security solutions offer digital well-being tools that track app usage and highlight sudden changes in behavior, such as late-night device use, massive spikes in messaging, or the sudden downloading of new, unfamiliar apps. These changes can be early warning signs of distress or harassment.

It is crucial to use these tools transparently by introducing them to your teens as conversation starters rather than secret surveillance. Saying that you noticed they were on their phone very late last night and asking if everything is okay builds trust. Spying breaks it.

Legal Grounds to Deal with Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is not just a behavioral issue. It intersects heavily with school policies, community safety, and the law. Understanding this context will help your family deal with severe harassment.

Laws and School Responsibilities

Globally, many countries are adopting frameworks to protect digital citizens against cyberbullying. In the United States, all 50 states have anti-bullying laws, most of which now explicitly include electronic or cyberbullying in their definitions and guidance. These include laws and district policies that allow schools to address online behavior that creates a hostile environment or substantially disrupts a student’s learning. This means that even if the harassment happens on a weekend via a smartphone, the school has the authority and the responsibility to intervene if it impacts the victim’s ability to feel safe in the classroom.

Cyberbullying as a Crime

Certain cruel online behaviors may cross the line into criminal activity and to be considered crimes. For instance, credible threats of violence, stalking, extortion, hate-motivated harassment, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images may violate criminal laws.

If a situation escalates to this level, it is time for legal and law enforcement to intervene. When this happens, families should document all evidence and consider contacting law enforcement or civil rights agencies.

Look up your local school district’s specific cyberbullying policies and legal obligations, and find out who to contact. This will save you valuable time if you need to report an incident.

Final Thoughts

Cyberbullying is intentional, repeated online harm, and a serious issue that leverages the constant nature of the internet to follow young children, teens, and certain groups into their homes and bedrooms.

While social media platforms, school policies, and laws are steadily improving, families still hold the most powerful tools. You can significantly reduce the harm to your children caused by online harassment by initiating open and non-judgmental conversations, utilizing built-in device protections and app privacy settings, partnering with your local schools, and seeking mental health support when needed.

Talk with your kids this week about their online experiences. Sit down together and review the safety and privacy settings on their favorite apps. Finally, consider using a trusted security partner such as McAfee+ as part of a broader, proactive digital safety plan.

A McAfee+ family plan helps protect your household’s devices from the malware and malicious links that often accompany harassment or sextortion attempts and sets healthy boundaries around apps, web content, and screen time. Furthermore, it provides educational resources on digital citizenship and safe social media use beyond basic antivirus software.

When you work with trusted tools, you can help keep the internet a place of connection and creativity.

The post Cyberbullying Prevention: How to Protect Kids & Teens Online appeared first on McAfee Blog.